Documentation : A guide to the Systems Alliance Order of Battle
by LogicalPremise
Summary: MCV Codes, breakdowns of what a K1 and an S4 are, divisional ranks, political divisions, and moar. A bunch of notes I use internally in my own fan fiction that others might find useful. Complete now.
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: This document started as a few notes I wrote up for internal reference for my fanfic, and ended up more like a small book. Since I put so much work into it, I thought I'd post it as a general resource for those of you who may need ideas. I may add additional chapters for other races or things of importance._**

**UNIT CODES:**

SAMC : Systems Alliance Marine Corps - armed Marine units stationed aboard naval vessels, or assigned to forward colonies. Marines have two MCV Designations they originally fall under, A or B.

SAGM: Systems Alliance General Militia - armed reservists. Always Code B.

SANF: Systems Alliance Naval Forces - naval personnel assigned directly to ships.

SAIS: System Alliance Intelligence Services - military intelligence branch, sometimes shortened to AIS or "AISholes". Always Code S.

* * *

**MCV Rating Levels: ** Many rates go from levels 1 to 4. Generally speaking, achieving a new rating rank can require years. Rates 5 to 7 are either reserved for highly trained specialists or officers.

Exceptions include enlisted only ranks, where the rate describes their level of competence, and medical ranks, which describe specialist levels. Examples follow each rank.

For ranks with qualifications, there are qualification tiers. The "2" rank requires a qualification test (regardless of rating, even U ratings have to pass a basic exam), but some ranks, like Biotics, Special Forces, and Intelligence rate their personnel. Most rating badges are done in bone white on blue, but rated specialists wear black armor. (N forces wear a red and white stripe, Intel has a silver stripe, biotics a blue stripe, and X wears green armor with white stripes). The badge on these specialists is usually done in bronze, but the person with the highest recorded qualification score has the badge rendered in silver. Shepard, for example, held the C7 Biotic Mastery badge, and still holds the N4 and N7 badges.

Number ratings are broken down below.

1: Basic familiarity. Indicates only that the member has completed at least one training course or operations set.

2: Qualified. Indicates the member has passed a formal qualification course on the rating.

3: Focus. Indicates the member has specialized within their current rating.

4: Instructor. For all rates , this indicates the member can be considered qualified to teach another person to level 1.

5: Specialization. The member has moved completely into a certain specialization or program (Vanguard, Infiltrator, Mako Driver, etc)

6: Adept. The member has mastered almost everything in this rating.

7: Mastery. The member has mastered all aspects of this rating.

* * *

**MCV Rating : **Each specialization in the Systems Alliance military is issued it's own code. Some rates are required to move to others, while some rates are limited to only officers, only enlisted, etc.

A – Infantry, Space rated (marines assigned to naval vessels). These form about 40% of the Marine ranks. In order to qualify for an A ranking, one must have completed qualification through either B5 or undergo Special Combat Training with equivalent background (such as former mercenaries, etc). An A1 is not a raw recruit, but usually a hardened soldier with 7 to 10 years experience. An A4 is usually a senior Sergeant. A5 and above are almost always officers or warrant officers. A7 requires completion of the Hostile Environment Marauder course, and is the hallmark of the Raptors, a unit wearing augmented exo-skeletal hard suits that can make low-orbital combat jumps. Master Chief Cole was an A5 before moving on. Jacob held an A7 rank, as did Dunn and Shields.

B – Infantry, General (marines not rated for zero-g combat and assigned ground side) : although all marines go through zero-g training, only those selected for naval service are considered rated. Most of the rest of the Marine Corps is assigned to ground side duty. B1's are raw recruits right out from school, and B4 is usually a seasoned sergeant or chief. A soldier who completes B5 qualification can be considered for an A rating. B6 and B7 are restricted to officer ranks and are required for command of a division or regiment, respectively. Ashley is a B4 in ME1, a B5 in ME2. Jackson was a B5.

C – Biotic Specialist (anyone with biotics is given this rating) : anyone who uses their biotics is rated a C. C1 through C3 are ratings of strength : C1 are low-functioning un-amped biotics or L1's. C2's are L3's and low-functioning L2's, and C3's are most L2's and high-functioning L3's. Qualification to one of the SA Biotic Warfare programs is accomplished by undergoing C4 training. C5's must demonstrate close quarters battle ability. C6 covers dangerous , alien derived biotic techniques such as Reave and Singularity. C7 is a biotic battle qualification, against trained biotic instructors. Kaidan is a C5 in ME1 before moving on. Shepard was a C7 before moving on.

D – Ordinance Disposal Technical Corps (bomb disposal units). The SA ODT corps is used to deal with explosive devices, jammed mass accelerators under power, conventional explosives, and the like. Entry into the program requires special training (a six month course) and at least a 2 rating in one's current rating. ODT's are ranked as marines. D1 through D4 are skill rankings, based on a series of simulated tests, each ranking indicating a familiarity with more complex devices. D5 through D7 are restricted to bomb specialists, each one requiring specialist training courses and actual disposal experience. A D7 rating indicates the member can literally take apart any sort of explosive device or weapon of mass destruction with just an omni-tool.

E – Damage Control Specialist: Naval personnel on ships that are charged with maintenance and proper execution of damage control techniques. E1 through E4 are skill ranks, E5 through E7 require specialist classes on deep-space fire, N/B/C decontamination, and hostile environment repair. E7's are particularly prized and some of the highest paid specialists in the entire Navy, an E7 is assigned to each dreadnaught as the Damage Control Officer.

F – Finance, Yeoman and Administrative: A rating for non-combatant support personnel. Notable for only having 2 ranks, one for basic training and one awarded after passing a two-year course in the equivalent of a finance degree. Kelly Chambers was a F2 before moving on.

G – Honor Guard: The Honor Guard protects the various military sites of honor as designated by the Systems Alliance, as well as acting as a conventional honor guard at funerals, diplomatic events, and the like. Honor Guards must have spotless military records, absolutely clean personal histories, and show strong commitment to the SA Core Values. Honor Guards are required to maintain a much higher physical readiness standard, and qualify both in military courses and general public relations classes. Ranks 1 through 5 are "dead ranks", in that a member must qualify to G5 to even stand watch at any site of honor. G7's undergo psychological screening and qualify to become X rating personnel. Anyone can apply to the honor guard, but they must already hold either a 7 rating or the highest possible level in their rating. Master Chief Cole was a G6.

H – Medical (officer only): Medical doctors are ranked by their level of qualification. H1's are Physician Assistance, H2's are general practitioners, and H3's are specialists or have completed additional general schooling. H4 and H5 are medical rankings for doctors wishing to serve on naval vessels as a doctor and includes combat and survival training. H7 is a special rank , for combat medic officers, rarely attempted by most personnel and held to be nearly as difficult as N training. An H7 can fight his or her way into a battlefield , operate under fire, and extract wounded personnel. Doctor Chakwas is an H5.

I – Fleet Command (granted to all flag rank officers): This rank replaces an officer rating once they become a rear admiral or general. One rating is conferred per star: a rear admiral is an I1, a full admiral is an I4. I5 through I7 are qualifications to command regional forces: specifically, task forces require I5, fleets, I6, and to sit on the Joint Chiefs or head up an internal branch of the military requires I7 rank. These qualifications are a mix of strategic command study and political refresher courses. Anderson is an I5, Hackett is an I6.

J – Medical (enlisted only): Medical enlisted personnel are qualified based on knowledge from ranks J1 through J5. A J1 is little more than a first-aid assistant, a J3 the equivalence of an RN, and a J5 a senior nurse or corpsman. J6 is awarded upon the completion of an actual medical degree. As with the officer Rank. J7 is specialist reserved for combat medics, a grueling class with a 98% failure rate.

K – Xenology (alien warfare specialist): K personnel are trained in alien language, both body language and linguistic analysis, as well as alien history and culture. Most serve as advisers to forward deployed units in alien space. Ranks K1 through K5 are based on in-ranking qualification tests and familiarity with alien species. K7 is reserved for actual aliens who have joined the SA , and who can (obviously) provide the most insight into their own kind. Every K specialist has an alien species or group of species behind his or her rating. Liara becomes a K7 in ME1.

L – Support , Naval (cooks, non-electrical mechanics, HVAC, etc): non-combatant naval support personnel who do not qualify as Engineering, Ops/Nav, or Weapons. Predominantly found on the surface support ships that patrol Earth's seas, on space stations, and in colony support sites. Their rating is a strict representation of skill level: qualification tests for each award are based on a large number of subsidiary considerations. A L4 cook , for example, can cook meals for a battalion, an L7 cook prepares meals for the Parliament.

M – Naval Engineering Tech (naval engineering, officers and enlisted): Any naval personnel assigned to engineering tasks, from propulsion specialists to dockworkers, are given this rating. M1 through M5 are for basic qualification ranks. M6 is required to work on shipbuilding yards, and M7 is usually reserved for senior personnel going for either the Chief Engineer or the Command Master Chief of Engineering spots on a vessel. An M5 has the equivalent of a master's degree. Adams is an M7, and both Donnelly and Daniels were M5.

N – Special Forces: Due to the variegated nature of the N7 program, each rating badge in the sequence can consist of multiple courses. An N1 is nominated after passing the basic requirements at the Interplanetary Combatives Training (ICT). The ICT, sometimes called "N-School" or "the villa," recruits officers from every combat rating to partake in grueling courses at Vila Militar in Rio de Janeiro. N7 is unique among all other ranks in that it cannot be gained except by award by the instructors. Shepard, Shields, Dunn, and Jackson were all N7, as was Anderson.

O – Naval Operations Tech (ops officers and enlisted): Naval personnel involved in electronics, navigation, fire control, operations, and shipboard maintenance outside of engineering tasks are considered operations techs. Much like the M ranks, O1 through O5 are qualifications tiers. Completion of O6 and O7 are restricted to officers, O6 qualifies a member for a spot as a Navigator, and O7 is required to be Lead Navigator on a dreadnaught. Pressly is an O7. Friggs is an O6.

P – Naval Weapons Tech (ops nav techs): Only found on larger ships such as heavy cruisers and dreadnaughts, Weapons techs ranking system is a byzantine mess. P1 through P4 are qualifications tiers with tests, but P5 is required to qualify as a lead fire control operator, who supervises ops techs. P6 is required to operate the main guns on a dreadnaught. P7 is a "dead rank" that hasn't been used in 15 years. Pressly also possesses an P5 rank, Friggs P3.

Q – Rated Naval Pilot (naval ship pilots) : Only found on frigates and light destroyers, RNP's are the sole pilots of SA ships. On larger ships, piloting is done by a group of ops techs, but smaller ships react fast enough that skilled piloting instincts count. Q1 through Q3 are "sunk ranks" in that one cannot even graduate from pilot school without achieving Q4 rating. A Q4 is a basic pilot, Q5, advanced. Q6 pilots are some of the best. Only 3 pilots in history have passed the "Relay 314" exam to reach Q7, one of those being Jeff "Joker" Moreau.

R – Naval Air Wing (fighter and shuttle pilots) : distinct from naval pilots for the larger ships, fighter and shuttle pilots make up their own grouping. R1 and R2 are basic piloting proficiency, R3 and R4 are considered advanced pilots. R5 is required for flying from a carrier wing. R6 is usually required to command a carrier wing and R7 for a carrier group , both are more strategic studies and analysis of enemy ships than actual piloting courses. Joker also holds an R5 rank.

S – Special Intelligence (intelligence forward operators): Forming the bulk of the SAIS, S rates are a mix of spy, saboteur, political operator, assassin and soldier. Anyone can apply for training, but most candidates from the T, N, and A ratings. S1 and S2 are basic training ranks, S3 qualifications allow a member to go on missions with a team of other S operatives. S4 is required to lead such teams. S5 through S7 are conducted at the Stockholm SA Intelligence Compound, and build the operator into a solo espionage asset. S7 in particular is brutally hard, requiring the member to actually bypass and elude other S7's tracing them through a city for several days without being caught. Ashley and Kaidan both are S1's at the beginning of ME3.

T – Security, Internal (Internal investigations , military police, and intelligence) : T ranks only run from 1 to 4. Rather than qualifications of skill, they are ratings of dependability and combat ability. T1's are general military police, T2 is military Rapid Reaction (SWAT), T3 is internal investigations, and T4 is authorized to conduct interrogations.

U –Undesignated (a catch-all rating for additional support personnel, as well as civilian contractors, mercenaries under SA contract, etc.)

V – Military Training (recruit training and special training operations) : Soldiers who work in boot camps, or in recruiting stations, use this rating. A V1 is given the "high school circuit", V2 and V3 are general recruiters. After passing a series of psychological classes and physical training, a member can qualify V4 and train recruits. V5 is a recruit training leader. V6 trains other V rated personnel, and V7's work at other qualification schools, such as the N7 or S7 programs.

W – General Support (ministers, marching band, military artists, psychologists, non-PHD medical support staff): Similar to the F rank, this rating only has two ranks: W1 for general skill sets, and W2 for specialists with a degree. Kelly Chambers holds a T2 rank before joining Cerberus.

X – Secret Service Military Assistance (N7 specialists assigned to the protection of the Parliament): Highly trained N7 personnel can apply to the X program, which is another level of training to become elite bodyguards. The X Program is highly classified, but X1 through X3 are known to be physical testing and firearms testing, and X4 requires the member undergo extensive cybernetic augmentation. The SA does not make information about X5 through X7 publicly available, but it's surmised that X5's provide general guard duty, X6 protect the Senate building itself, and X7's protect the President and the Speaker when they travel abroad.

Y – Research and Development: The most curious of the rankings, the Y rating only has 3 ranks, and these only reveal the general level of education. Y1's are assistant researchers, Y2 is senior staff (usually with master's degrees) and Y3 are project leads with a doctorate (or two).

Z – Public Relations and Naval Diplomatic Corps : Z ratings work with the V ratings to recruit and impress humanity with the need for the Systems Alliance. There are no qualifications for this rating aside from basic tests, ratings are awarded based solely on achievements. Higher ranking Z rated personnel often advise flag officers.

* * *

**Divisional Levels : Ground**

A squad is usually 5 to 8 men, lead by a sergeant or chief.

Two squads form a detachment, led by a lieutenant. (19 men total). The Normandy's marine unit was a detachment.

Four detachments form a company, lead by a lieutenant commander. (77 men)

Ten companies form a regiment, led by a commander. (800 men with support units)

Five to six regiments form a battalion, led by a major. (Around 5,000 men, with support).

Five battalions form a brigade, usually led by a brigadier general. (Around 25,000 men with supporting units.)

Four brigades form an army , lead by a general (roughly 135,000 men , with lots of supporting units, can sometimes exceed 140,000 men.)

Five armies form an army group (600,000 to 850,000 men)

Five army groups form a Regional Army Unit (upwards of four million men). This is almost always a very large chunk of a race's given ground forces.

* * *

**Divisional Levels: Space, Naval Vessels**

A battle group is 5 frigates, 2 destroyers, and 1 cruiser. (8 ships). Battle groups can be lead by captains.

A flotilla is 4 battle groups, lead by a command unit of 2 heavy cruisers and 4 additional cruisers. (38 to 40 ships). Rear Admirals command flotillas.

A squadron is 3 flotillas, augmented by two scout battle groups and a command group of 1 dreadnaught, 5 heavy cruisers, and 1 carrier. (140 to 150 ships). Vice Admirals command squadrons.

A fleet is 5 squadrons, lead by a dreadnaught or carrier, occasionally with a few extra battle groups thrown in. (800 ships). This is commanded by admirals, and is usually a significant portion of that races' entire navy.

* * *

**Divisional Levels: Space, Fighters**

A patrol is four fighters. Light cruisers often carry a patrol of light fighters.

A squadron is five patrols. (20 fighters). A converted cruiser-carrier has this as it's complement.

A wing is four squadrons. (80 fighters). A dedicated carrier usually fields a wing of fighters.

A group is four wings. (320 fighters). Dreadnaught carriers have a group.

A division is between four and six groups. This is for battle organization purposes only, a ship would have to be twice the length of a dreadnaught to store , equip, launch and recover 1,800 + fighters.

* * *

**Organizational Structure: Shipboard**

_Command Officers (in charge of the ship)_

CO: Commanding Officer, the person in direct control of the ship's operations (Anderson, then Shepard).

TDO: Temporary Duty Officer , designated commander of a vessel for a limited time in special circumstances. A pilot who is taking a ship through constricted navigation, for example. (Technically, Nihlus).

FLAG: an admiral who has taken a ship as his flagship. Usually does not interfere with the CO, but has the right. (Hackett)

_Line officers (can take command of the ship if the CO is incapacitated) _

XO: Executive Officer, second in command. Deals with operational aspects the CO doesn't have time to deal with. (Shepard, then Pressly).

NAV: Navigator, third in command. In charge of plotting approach vectors for mass translations and navigation at FTL speeds. (Pressly, then Friggs).

OPS: Ops Leader. In charge of fire control, weapons, and tracking contacts. Combined with the NAV position on frigates like the Normandy. (Pressly, then Friggs)

ENG: Chief Engineer. Responsible for propulsion and , on small ships, damage control. (Adams)

_Field Officers: (cannot take command of the ship)_

DCA: Damage Control Officer. On larger ships, in charge of damage control and repairs. Duties taken by the ENG on small ships. (Tali'Zorah)

WEPS: Weapons Control Officer. On larger ships, in charge of weapons fire , reloading, repairs and calibrations. Duties taken by the XO on small ships. (Garrus)

BDO: Battle Duty Officer. In charge of the ship's marine contingent , their outfitting and equipment. (Kaidan)

FLIP: Flight Lieutenant / Internal Pilot : smaller ships require one to fly the ship. On larger ships, directs ops in piloting and setting courses. (Joker)

MDO: Medical Duty Officer, the ships doctor. (Chakwas)

GDO: General Duty Officer, called the first lieutenant, in charge of ships functions (cleaning, field day, inspections). Duties taken by the BDO on small ships. (Kaiden)

RDO: Science Officer. Only on the largest ships, in charge of sensor sweeps and research. (Liara)

_Non Commissioned Officers:_

COB: Chief of the Boat, senior enlisted personnel. Usually liaisons with the XO about enlisted crew morale. (Cole)

Armorer : responsible for ships armory (Ashley)

Technical Chief, Vehicular: in charge of maintaining the ships vehicles (Garrus)


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: This document started as a few notes I wrote up for internal reference for my fanfic, and ended up more like a small book. Since I put so much work into it, I thought I'd post it as a general resource for those of you who may need ideas. I may add additional chapters for other races or things of importance._

* * *

**Systems Alliance Governmental Organization:**

The Systems Alliance government is a supranational organization that represents humanity as a whole. It is comprised of 18 charter nations and 31 member colonies.

The member nations are : USA, Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, Russia, UK, France, Egypt, Israel, Saudia Arabia, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, Thailand, India, Germany, Italy.

Member nations each agree to provide roughly 4% of the required tax funding to support the SA on a yearly basis.

Member Colonies include: Horizon, Terra Nova, Mindoir, Bekenstein, and many others. Each colony is expected to provide .5% of the required tax funding.

Associate Members are nations or colonies who were not founding members but have chosen to join afterward.

Protectorates are SA funded colonies.

* * *

**Citizenship Levels in the SA:**

All humans, regardless of place of birth or condition, are classed as Basic Citizens and provided the rights guaranteed by the SA charter. Beyond that, additional citizenship levels require certain prerequisites.

Basic Citizenship only provides the right to representation, to be held innocent until proven guilty, the right to property, self-determination, and freedom of speech.

Citizenship Tier I is automatic for all humans born inside the SA borders, and for aliens born and registered within the SA border, as long as they are registered. It allows a person to vote and to enlist in the military.

Citizenship Tier II requires the member be human and pass a citizenship test. It allows the right to vote in all elections, not just local ones, and to run for local office.

Citizenship Tier III requires a history of Tier II citizenship going back three generations, with no felonies. It is required for entrance into any officer academy or running for political office.

Citizenship Tier IV is restricted to natural-born citizens of a Member Nation on Earth. Functionally identical to Tier III, but without any background history checks.

Restricted Citizenship (Felon) is applied to anyone convicted of a felony, stripping their rights to join the military , run for office, or vote. This tier can be removed through public service and time.

Annulled Citizenship (Penal) is the tier for members of the Penal Legions. Barred from life from voting, holding office, or owning property in excess of 250,000 credits. This is a life-long mark, and cannot be removed until the member serves in the Penal Legions for a number of years equal to their applied sentence. Shepard is an ACP with a 40 year sentence.

* * *

**Government Branches:**

The **Parliament** is bicameral, divided into two houses: The Senate and the Congress. All funding initiatives and general laws, including changes to the SA Charter and Constitution, are routed through the Congress. Declarations of war, admittance to the SA, diplomatic exchanges, Council interactions and determination of binding laws on SA members are handled in the Senate.

The Congress has a total of 700 seats. 500 of these seats are parceled out as follows:

30% to Member Nations

20% to Member Colonies

5% for spacers (residents of Arcturus, space-borne citizens with no port of call)

25% to Associate Members

20% to Protectorates.

These 500 seats are elected by the groups they represent, every four years.

The remaining 200 seats are determined by special election. Candidates run on various platforms and voting is conducted SA-wide every two years.

The Senate consists of 1 member per Member nation, 1 per member colony, 2 members to represent the spacers and protectorates, and 1 member for the Associate Members. Senators are elected by their representative base every four years.

The Senate is lead by the **Ministerial Board.** The Prime Minister is the technical head of state, although the President is most visible. The two share various leadership duties, but the President is mostly a figure seen on Earth, while the Prime Minster resides on Arcturus Station.

The other ministerial positions are:

Minister of State: Directly oversees diplomatic relations and supervises the Citadel Ambassador. Currently held by Anita Goyle.

Minister of Defense: Oversees the Joint Chiefs and defense operations. Currently held by Admiral Fredric Branson

Minister of Development: Oversees colonial development

Minister of Public Health: Oversees medical programs, colony clearance rights, and the SACDC.

Minister of Information: Oversees information services and communications chains.

Minster of the Interior: Coordinates between member states, colonies, and protectorates.

The final branch of the SA is the SA Court of Justice, the highest court of humanity. Judgments from this court are binding with the force of law on all SA participants in regards to laws outside of their borders, but Member Nations are still in complete control of what laws transpire in their own country (As an example, firearms are heavily regulated in SA colonies, but the USA still allows free gun ownership and purchase). The CoJ has 11 members, who are elected every 10 years from qualified judges.

Under the CoJ are 5 appellate courts and a military tribunal court for military justice. Appellate courts include the Earth Circuit, the Terra Nova Circuit, the Citadel Circuit, the Verge Circuit, and the Horizon Circuit. These circuit courts work with lower level member courts in their region and operate from mobile cruisers outfitted as justice ships.

* * *

**Political Parties of the Systems Alliance: **

_Terra Firma_: a humano-centric organization, TF claims is stands for traditional human culture, conservative stances, and the promotion of human interests. It's ranks are often filled with bigots and racists, and the party caters to the working poor, bitter about the riches of aliens. TF does well on Earth , and in the outlying colonies, and weak on the Citadel and in any area where humans have actually had interactions with aliens. TF is mostly the continuation of several hard-right political parties from western and central Europe. TF is lead by Charles Saracino, linked by many to the human terrorist organization known as Cerberus.

_Earth First:_ Another human-centric organization, this one is not very racist at all – it even has a few alien citizen members. Instead it champions the cause of Earth over the colonies, which it sees as dangerously independent. It also decries the power of the modern mega-corps, and sees the Citadel Council as a sham. EF is wildly liberal , focusing more on repairing Earth's biodiversity and focusing on bringing alien talent to the service of humanity than military buildups. It's background is from South American liberal politics, and there are rumors that it gets it's money from drug cartels on Mars and in Argentina.

_Democratic Liberal: _The Democratic party is a survivor from the USA, describing itself as 'post-liberal'. It champions social justice and income leveling as a way to alleviate the crushing poverty and income inequality of Earth, and sees aliens as welcome partners in building the future. In recent years it has lost traction and converts, most jumping ship to other, newer parties, but there is still hard core of millions of members on Earth. Kaidan votes DL.

_Alliance Blue_: A hyper-patriotic party that is the worst combination of American Republicans, UK Independence Party, and German Citizens in Rage, Alliance Blue is best described by Donnel Udina as "a pack of hyenas, too busy attacking everyone else to finish eating what they've already killed." Growing at a staggering 14% a year, AB is rabidly conservative, rejecting almost all alien influence as "detrimental to human heritage and culture". While not technically racist (they reject violence against aliens and have denounced Cerberus as 'hanar-kicking thugs unable to get real jobs'), they are at the forefront of the movement to withdraw the SA from the Citadel Charter and go it's own way. Ashley Williams votes Alliance Blue.

_Information Party_: A pro-science, pro-alien party based in the frustrations of science corporations and forward thinkers, the Information party has a decidedly liberal slant on social politics, but is conservative in financial terms. Erudite, cutting edge and trendy, IP voters are mostly found on outlying developed colonies such as Bekenstein, and on the Citadel itself. The party has strong support for the SA scientific investigations and often pushes for closer relations with the Citadel. Despite it's starry-eyed optimist tone, the core of the party is dominated by brutally efficient political operators who see cooperation with aliens as vitally important to maintaining humanity's place in the galaxy. Donnel Udina was elected on an IP platform.

_Northstar_ : fragments of dozens of political parties, including fringe left-wing LGBT groups, colony enthusiasts, associate state government groups, and corporate interests all meet in this disparate party. Northstar is almost a caricature of liberal agendas, pushing for the increasing acceptance of aliens , colonists, and alternative lifestyles and economies into the Systems Alliance. They have no use for Earth, seeing it as a sinkhole mired in it's own problems, and focus more on convincing the young and impressionable of the place humanity has among the stars. Northstar is known for it's overly political and jaded stunts, including hiring asari actresses to magnify it's mystique among young human males.

* * *

**Political Divisions of the SA:**

The SA is divided into five districts: Sol, Horizon, Eden, Terra, and Bekenstein. Each district is overseen by a District Governor, and local district law approved by a District Council.

Districts are broken into Divisions, overseen by Mayors. Earth, Mars, the Jovian Colonies, the Belt, and Uranus/Neptune are all divisions. Most large mainline colonies are their own division.

Systems Alliance government is based out of Arcturus Station , but there are facilities on Earth, Mars, Bekenstein, and the Citadel that also play a role. Most Citadel diplomats actually live on Bekenstein, only a jump away from the Citadel.


	3. Chapter 3

**Systems Alliance Unit Designations:  
**

**Ground Forces: Infantry**

GU: Garrison Unit, typically low B infantry assigned to hold outlying areas in support of a central command area. Garrison units are where new recruits are often assigned to learn the basics of soldiering, and where older NCO's and officers who plan to end their careers end up. Garrison units almost never have attached support, have poor morale, and often break in combat. Most garrison units are regiment strength, and are attached as support to a battalion. Garrison units are adhoc, being reformed and renumbered as needed. In OSABC, the 212 and the 280 on Eden Prime are garrison regiments.

HU: Holding Unit , typically a mix of A, B, and J ratings, these units are the main line units on most colony worlds Holding units are typically associated to a single colony world , station, or regional area . Unlike garrison units, they have unit histories and dedicated support staff. A holding unit is designated by it's founding order on the world of it's creation. The 1st Terra Nova Battalion, for example, was the first battalion raised on the planet of Terra Nova.

RRU: Rapid Response Unit, a special forces unit comprised solely of C, N, S, and a handful of D ratings. Rapid Response Units are stationed on fast transports and used in conjunction with other strike teams to take out direct threats to the Systems Alliance. The RRU's respond to pirates, marauders, geth incursions, terrorist attacks, and are proud to be "the first in and the first to kill". The most famous unit of this type was the 2nd RRU, commanded by Major Kyle and having no less than 9 different N7 teams, including Shepards. The 2 RRU was almost utterly destroyed on Torfan and it's banners were retired shortly thereafter.

RIU: Rapid Intervention Unit. Patterned off STG teams , RIU's are detachment-level units comprised of N and A ratings that strike forward objectives before the main body of an army group moves in. Mobile and technologically agile, they incorporate stealth suits, omni-minifacturing systems, battle engineers and nanotech detonation agents in their work. RIU's hit very hard , but do not have the firepower or numbers to get into a slugging contest with larger units and use their mobility to strike and fade. Shields served in the 3rd RIU after Torfan.

MBU: Main Battle Unit. Usually a brigade, these are the units assigned as the command and control units for a planet or colony, overseeing the various holding and garrison units. MBU's incorporate the support staff (cooks, mechanics, armorers, barbers, etc) for attached units, as well as communications techs and interface with the Navy. MBU's have unit patches and slogans. The most famous MBU's are the 35th Mechanized ("Drive it like you stole it") and the 145th Heavy Infantry ("Remember Mindoir").

NDBU: Naval Direct Battle Units. The navy's version of MBU's, these are all A ratings, assigned to dreadnaughts and combat transports for when direct planetary invasion is a requirement. Most NDBU's are split up between several ships, or across an entire fleet. The Marine contigent aboard the Normandy, for example, is part of the 63rd Scout Flotilla's NDBU.

NCT: N7 Combat Team, a small unit of N5+ personnel assigned to directly strike at localized objective, directly commanded by senior personnel. Strike teams are rarely more than 4 operatives, given a direct target and let go. On occasion, several NCT's are attached to an RRU for heavier , more lethal objectives and requirements. ME3 Multiplayer uses NCT's to complete objectives, and Shepard's own team in the 2 RRU qualified.

DACT: Drop-Assault Combat Team. Power-armored A7 Raptor personnel, in the Icarus Mass-Assisted Bodysuit. These heavily armored battle specialists are the 22nd century version of paratroopers, using eezo-enhanced battle armor to jump hundreds of feet into combat. Wearing armor so thick it requires myomer assistance to even move in, they carry coaxial man-portable miniguns, micro-missile cluster launchers, and other heavy ordinance behind enemy lines to wreak complete havoc. During the First Contact War, DACTs tore out the heart of the turian armored advance in several places on Shanxi before being overwhelmed by Blackwatch teams. Less than 20 survivors out of 500 combatants on both sides survived that battle.

**Ground** **Units : Mechanized and Armored**

MIU: Mechanized Infantry Unit. Basically a HU with dedicated transport support in the form of M-35 Mako APV's, MIU's are deployed from naval ships where a need for mobility is combined with a need for infantry to dig in. Most MIU's are comprised of more experienced soldiers, and has a scattering of technical ratings to provide support.

ABU: Armored Battle Unit: Comprised of a number of M-55 Great White main battle tanks and M-35 MAKO vehicles, the ABU's are the primary armored forces of the SA. Rarely deployed except as heavy support, most ABU's end up as garrison command units, their armored forces scattered piecemeal to stiffen resistance. Tank classes were named after sharks: Mako, Hammerhead, Great White.

**Ground** **Units : Mechs **

AESIR Patrol Mech / LOKI Garrison Mech : a slim-line battle unit, the AESIR is the predacssor to the more successful LOKI mech seen in ME2. Basically, both are artificial infantry, with light armor and no dedicated weapons systems. They can use all SA ordinance, the main difference is that the LOKI incorporates onboard thermal clip storage to ensure it does not run out of firepower, while the AESIR has onboard cooling vents to increase it's rate of fire.

JOTUN Battle Mech / YMIR Battle Mech : the JOTUN was the prototype for the YMIR, with primary differences being in armamment. The JOTUN used a coaxial minigun on one arm, with a rapid-pattern grenade launcher on the other. Advances in missile technology (based on captured geth missile launchers) led to the YMIR incorporating a targeted missile launcher. Both mechs are large, heavily armored, well shielded, and designed to act as a bulwark and pressure unit for other infantry to advance behind.

M-883 Repair Mech: a VI driven unit loaded with repair schematics and welding equipment, these were derisively nicknamed "3CPO" by SA marines, who were not impressed with their abilities. Capable of building field fortifications, repairing armored units, and fixing weapons or armor, the main drawback of the M-883 was it's lack of battle endurance and slow rate of repair. Eventually replaced by repair drones generated by omni-tools, the M-883 ended up deployed in massive numbers to the interior of dreadnaughts instead, to act as a backup repair system.

All mechs except the 883 were named for Norse mythological figures. The unofficial name of the 883 was the Slepnir.

**Space Units : Ships**

System Patrol Boat: Basically a larger, built up gunship, with a crew of six. A police and system interdiction ship, mostly used near stations and colony transfer stations, or HE3 mining stations. Bigger and tougher than any fighter, even a couple of SPB's can spell problems for a frigate.

Scout Frigate: the lightest class of frigate, with a focus on active sensors and fuel range. Scout frigates are the extreme forward pickets of a fleet, the first lookouts to pick up incoming blue shifted enemies. Scout frigates are named for battles in Chinese history: Yangping, Xaxi, Lucheng

Battle Frigate: a heavier, more well armed and armored frigate, used in the line of battle as a skirmisher. The SR1 Normandy is a battle frigate. Battle frigates are mostly named for famous battles throughout history: Normandy, Cannae, Valley Forge, Waterloo

Heavy Missile Frigate: A frigate with extra engines and armor plating, and the cargo deck torn away to provide enhanced room for racks of rapid-fire missiles and guided torpedoes. An idea borrowed from the Volus Defense Force. Heavy Missile Frigates are named for last stands in human history: Thermopylae, Roark's Drift, Little Bighorn.

Destroyer: A super-heavy frigate, built up to roughly 75% of a cruiser's size and mass. Destroyers were far more capable in the line of battle, having the mass and armor to actually take direct hits and keep fighting. Destroyers were an adaptation of events after ME1, and were mostly built on salvaged light cruiser hulls. The SR2 Normandy is technically a destroyer. Destroyers are named after battles in the modern era: Sao Paulo, Hudson, Mindoir

Light Cruiser: the demarcation line between cruisers and frigates is the addition of broadside mass accelerators along with GARDIAN lasers. Light cruisers are the weakest but easier to build and more mobile than other cruiser types, and usually act as flanking defenders for heavier vessels. Light Cruisers are named after African cities: Cairo, Nairobi, Accra.

Line Cruiser: the line cruiser is the most common ship in any military naval force, and the SA is no exception. Line cruisers are middle of the road: lighter armored and armed than dreadnaughts, but not as mobile and agile as frigates. They fill the role of battle group command ships, Line cruisers are named for cities in North America: Detroit, Miami, Fort Worth.

Heavy Cruiser: the only functional difference between line and heavy cruisers is the addition of two light center-line heavy mass accelerator's to the latter. These heavy guns allow the ships to provide longer ranged fire support and to act as a serious threat to other cruiser variants. Heavy Cruisers are named for European cities: Caen, Genoa, Bonn.

Battle Cruiser / Superheavy Cruiser / Pocket Dreadnaught: the official SA designation for these ships is "battle cruiser", but they have a variety of names. Battle cruisers are rare, and were developed after the events in ME2, just prior to ME3. Basically a cut-down dreadnaught hull with the main guns removed, battle cruisers instead mount extremely heavy banks of light mass accelerator broadside guns, multiple decks of GARDIAN lasers under VI targeting assistance, and huge amounts of torpedo tubes. Clad in armor that rivals dreadnaughts, the ships are still light enough to move in and out of the line of battle. They are heavy directed strike units, mostly used to spearhead thrusts across the enemy line of battle to strike at the rear of dreadnaughts. Battle Cruisers are named for human capital cities: London, Madrid, Tokyo.

Carrier-Cruiser: a bulked up heavy cruiser with half it's decks changed to flight spaces, the carrier-cruiser is often called a light carrier or patrol carrier. Carrying a squadron of heavy fighters, the carrier-Cruiser has enough remaining firepower and armor to follow them into battle. Much less expensive than a full carrier, the carrier-cruiser also does not make such an easy target if the lines of battle are penetrated. Carrier-Cruisers are named after artists in human history: Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Pollack.

Battle Carrier: the so-called "full" carrier is a custom-fitted hull, somewhere between the size of a dreadnaught and a battle cruiser. Carriers have multiple flight decks and heavy banks of GARDIAN lasers, and engines tucked center-line to the ship behind heavy armor. Unlike other ships, carriers have no real weapons aside from the wing of fighters assigned to it. Most carriers have 1 heavy squadron, 2 light squadrons, and 1 bomber squadron of fighters, each assigned different tasks. Due to their size and the space required to launch, retrieve and store fighters, carriers are slow and do not take damage well, resulting in them launching their fighters and retreating from the line of battle. Carriers are named after famous intellectuals in history : Einstein, Copernicus, Newton.

Dreadnaught Carrier: only two of these massive beasts exist. Basically an oversized dreadnaught with heavy armor, it's massive size is due to being built around a huge launch bay. Capable of launching over three hundred fighters, these massive ships also have double-center-line mass accelerators, entire decks of GARDIAN lasers and anti-frigate missiles, and banks of heavy torpedoes. The cost of these ships is ruinous, each one worth almost .2% of the entire SA economy, and no more are planned to be built. The two ships are named after the most famous figures in recent human history: Jon Grissom and Kastanie Drescher (the admiral who drove off the Turians in the First Contact War).

Dreadnaught: the SA dreadnaught is a massive ship, built around three huge mass accelerator cannons well over 800 feet long. Crewed by thousands, the dreadnaughts are the battleships of the current naval era, capable of bombarding entire planets to dust, or blowing apart a dozens ships with a single shot. Covered in the thickest armor, overlapping defensive barriers, and hundreds of GARDIAN laser turrets, each one of these ships is a fleet in it's own right. Dreadnaughts command squadrons, and are the backbones of fleets. They are named after famous mountains on Earth: Everest, Kilimanjaro, Orizaba.

Titan: a planned design not yet implemented, the Titan is a ship that requires mass effect fields and six drive cores even to function. Designed after the fall of the Reapers, the Titan is intended to deal with any future threats from the Leviathan creatures. It's main gun is a reworking of the principles behind mass relays, enabling the ship to hurl slugs upwards of 500 kg at 15% of light speed. The resulting blast would shatter planets with a single shot. Currently the SA does not have all the required technology to build the ship, but the design has already been in the works. The Titan class will be named after mythological creatures.

**Space Units : Fighters**

Light Fighter: the SA light fighter was an interceptor, primarily designed to interdict smugglers, other fighters, light craft and the occasional shuttle or gunboat. Built around a larger than normal eezo core, the LF could out maneuver other fighters easily, but it's shielding and weapons were very light. The Trident was the premier SA light fighter. Light fighter classes were named for spear-like weapons. Trident, Harpoon, Spear

Strike Fighter: the mainline fighter seen operating from ground bases or space stations, the strike fighter was functionally identical to the light fighter except for stronger shielding and two pods of missiles. Strike fighters had less fuel than light fighters, but better sensors and slightly more advanced computers. Strike fighter classes were named for birds: Eagle, Raptor, Condor

Space Superiority Fighter: based on carriers, SSF's were more heavily armed and armored than their lighter cousins, making them somewhat less maneuverable but far more durable in combat. Armed with triple mass accelerator cannon and guided missiles, the SSF was large enough to have it's own EMP pod and onboard VI assistance. SSF classes were named for rivers: Rio Grande, Seine, Potomac.

Heavy Fighter: the SA HF was severely over-weaponed, with enough missiles to take out some frigates. The thick armor, double shields and other defensive options made it slow and not very agile, but it could take more than a few hits from GARDIAN lasers before having to fall back for repair. Heavy fighters also boasted integral VI-targeted multi-munition weapon pods, capable of light anti-armor, dogfights, or even ground bombardment. HF classes were named for swords: Scimitar, Rapier, Claymore.

Torpedo Bomber: a built-up HF with extra space for torpedoes, these bombers were used in runs against capital ships. Due to losses in battle, the design was upgraded several times, but they remained somewhat vulnerable to lighter, more nimble fighters. Their primary use was in direct space assaults, as they were never optimized to provide ground support: TB classes were named after hunting animals: Lion, Cougar, Leopard.

Heavy Bomber: built from the ground up for torpedo launches as well as ground bombardment, the HB included a rear turret, VI controlled GARDIAN mini-arrays, and a crew of three. Adapted from the history of multi-role bombers in Earth's past, the Heavy Bomber could hold it's own against assailants while keeping on target during capital ship attacks. HB classes were named after insects: Bombadier, Centipede, Black Widow


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **_As a reminder, a few things in this won't match up with 'canon' since it's notes regarding my AU. While I'm aware that may limit it's use for some people, the changes are mostly minor. Most of this stuff is new, and I plan to go back and enhance some of my fan fiction with it as I go along. _

_Additionally, one person PM'd me asking why the Penal Legions I describe in OSABC aren't listed with other military forces. They come later, in a section devoted to the "waaaay AU stuff". _

* * *

**Systems Alliance Political Structure: Military Distributions and Priorities**

The Systems Alliance is the sole representative body of humanity as a whole, but does not incorporate all aspects of humanity under it's jurisdiction. While certainly recognized as the only voice that can claim to speak for most of humanity, it's control over human space is neither absolute nor dictatorial.

The SA order of battle is built around a tiered-response concept of overlapping response reactions. Rather than station heavy forces at all possible locations, the SA assigns values to certain areas, and doles out garrison forces as needed. In the event of invasions or attacks, it responds with increasingly heavier reinforcements until the enemy is defeated or forced to retreat. These values correspond closely with the level of investment, interest, and cooperation the SA receives from the colony or worlds in question.

In practice, every colonized region (star system, group of star systems, etc) is assigned a Priority Rating. The Priority rating defines a preset amount of dedicated military might attached to patrol and pacify the region. This is augmented by the Threat Rating, which is a scale defining the level of danger in the region or area. Finally, regions under SA control are assigned dedicated garrison and patrol units, independent of Priority and Threat.

In case of attack, RIU and RRU units , scout wolf packs, and fighters backed by heavy frigates and carrier-cruisers are the first to respond, along with system forces already present. Once backup determines threat rating, the allocated support forces jump in system. The threat is either suppressed , or the threat rating is raised and even more support jumps in system.

As seen in the battle of Dirth, SA can rapidly mobilize hundreds of thousands of soldiers and dozens upon dozens of ships in a remarkably short amount of time due to pre-issued , pre-tested orders, clear flight paths, and a clear line of operations even if all senior officers are killed.

**Priority Ratings: **

All worlds, colonies, bases, etc, are issued a priority rating. These priority ratings define what level of military strength is stationed at a given target, and what level of response will be mobilized in case of threats.

_Priority Alpha_ is reserved for Earth , Mars, the Jovian Colonies, Arcturus, and the Citadel. This is the highest priority. Each colony or world in the region will usually have a full squadron assigned to them for defense, as well as a fighter division and one to two armies, at a minimum. There will always be a full Fleet available, for rapid response. At least 1 RRU and 5 RIU teams are assigned to the region.

_Priority Beta _is the designation for full Member Colonies and the Fleet Anchorages at Bekenstein and Terra Nova. The second highest priority, it devotes a squadron to the protection of the area, as well as two fighter squadrons and a couple of battalions, possibly reinforced. At least 1 RRU and 2 RIU teams are assigned.

_Priority Epsilon _is the designation for Associate Colonies. A squadron is usually assigned to several of these in a given area, sometimes with an extra flotilla as reinforcement. Local systems have a single fighter squadron for local support. Every Epsilon priority area has it's own dedicated RIU team.

_Priority Gamma _is the designation for Corporate and independent colonies. There is a rotating group of flotilla's that provide over watch, backed up by a carrier for emergencies. Two RIU teams and a battalion of soldiers is also included in this force. Given the wide spread of colonies in the Verge that fit this description, the units described above often operate in very disassociated fashion, broken down into single ship and patrol groups.

_Priority Rho _is a specialty designation for hostile border environments, like the SA border with the batarians. This region will be guarded by at least a couple of flotilla's, a full army of soldiers, and an entire fighter group. At least 1 RRU and upwards of 15 RIU's will be deployed in the area. Rho sometimes overlaps heavily with Epsilon and Gamma areas, these forces will act in addition to the ones listed.

_Priority Theta _is a disaster area designation, applied during natural disasters. Mostly consisting of procedures for emergency relief, 5 RIU's operating from a Fleet will be dispatched to ensure there is no looting or piracy in the region.

_Priority Omega _is a poorly kept "secret" designation in place around system TQ-494-C, the so called "Omega Zone" where Alliance R&D labs and secret weapons are rumored to be located. All that is known is that there is a full squadron operating from the area, backed by a fighter wing comprised entirely of SSF and HF, along with the 55th Remote Ops Battalion and the 9th RIU. These units do not appear on the SA official Order of Battle. Rumors abound regarding the system, but little hard fact has come to light.

**Threat Ratings:**

While initial defending forces are determined solely by priority , the amount of response to a given threat is determined solely on a system called Threat Rating. Threat Rating is a qualified validation of the amount of property damage and tangible harm a foreign force can cause. The ratings are in Latin

**Placidus** : defined as no state of alarm whatsoever, the basic response state when nothing bad is occurring. TR Placidus can be defined as "no alarms whatsoever". In peacetime, this is the normal default alert state.

**Vigilax**: A low alert state when incidents have occurred near by or are rumored to be happening. Examples include pirate raids within three jumps, recent news of unidentified armed ships, local pirate activity in the past month, etc. Typically speaking , Vigilax is the common alert response when trouble rears it's head on the outlying colonies and the like. On more populated worlds, Vigilax is declared on regional or even a city-wide level.

The standard Vigilax response is to station forces in the system at 100% of normal garrison levels, and to send a scout frigate with S rate personnel to assess the situation. In more constrained situations on more populated worlds, Vigilax response is to dispatch a portion of the planetary MBU or patrolling fleet, as appropriate, to reinforce the area.

**Consterno: **A low level alert to minor actual dangers. Small pirate raids, sightings of batarian military vessels, and other easily dispatched threats are given this rating. In a more populated setting, Consterno is a "general alert" status for a system, or the response on a regional area to high-level terrorist activity.

The standard Consterno response is to station forces in the system at 200% of normal garrison levels, and to send a scout frigate with S rate personnel to assess the situation. In most cases, an RIU is also dispatched. In more populated worlds, the frigate response to dispatch at least a division of the planetary MBU or a full flotilla from the local patrolling fleet, as appropriate, to reinforce the area. Several RIU's may be dispatched.

**Discrimen**: Defined as the "serious" alert level, Discrimen results in immediate dispatch of an armed strike force to the site. Usually this is a battle group, along with fighter support, and a pair of troop ships carrying a pair of reinforced regiments. Discrimen level alerts are for large pirate rates or direct pirate attacks on the colony itself, confirmed sightings of enemy vessels, or any sighting of unidentified alien vessels that do not return hails within 3 jumps from Sol.

In the case of the Member Colonies or Sol system itself, a Discrimen alert is a full battle alert. The local defense fleet will jump in system en masse, lead by a scout flotilla. Multiple battalions will be mobilized, and at least RRU will be put on hot-standby. All available RIU's will be deployed.

**Exitialis** : known as "going E", Exitialis is a regional alert. Sounded when serious battle looms, it results in an entire flotilla being dispatched, along with a battalion of troops and heavy support. Nearby fleets are put on high alert and all adjacent areas are bumped up to Consterno. In the case of the Sol Region being the one to sound the alert, the local fleet will be deployed immediately in-system and nearby fleets routed towards Earth. Every available military unit will go to full battle readiness.

**Adorior : **Full battle alert for critical targets. The "big A" is only used for full scale military invasions and lethal threats. In the history of the SA, Adorior was only sounded twice: once during the First Contact War, and again as the Reapers invaded. Adorior scrambles every available fleet to the problem side, and declares Exitialis to Sol and all Member Colonies. Smaller forces stiffen all other nearby systems to 500% of garrison baseline , if possible. Every RRU is put on ready status, and reserve units are activated.

From a military standpoint, the SA views all colonial holdings along the following lines:

**Independent colony:** Founded by privately funded groups of a non-profit origin, and organized around planetary settlement charters, these small colonies can be found mostly in human space. Some are founded by multimillionaires as tourist traps, some by powerful cults, others by religious groups. All of them share three things , however. They do not pay SA taxes, they did not and will not sign the SA charter, and as a result they are considered to be at the lowest priority level for SA assistance. Standard military doctrine is that independent colonies will be issued an SA emergency beacon if they require aid, but that the SA will charge the colony for expended munitions, fuel, eezo and other expenses. Freedom's Progress was an independent colony.

**Corporate Colony:** These are charter colonies founded by corporations registered on Earth, who are signatories of the SA Associated Worlds charter. The AW Charter is a stripped down version of the full SA Charter, wherein the colonies recognize the SA's legal claim to the star system the colony is in, as well as their right to it's resources, but reject SA legal authority to govern the colony itself. In practice, this allows the colony to receive at least some benefits of SA membership, at a greatly reduced tax rate, and without interference from the SA itself. As a result, military doctrine places a corporate colony only slightly above that of an independent. In practice, most such worlds are R&D sites and corporate HQ's, with the majority of the population employed directly or indirectly by the owning entity. The unnamed world the Exogeni HQ is on, as well as Noveria, are corporate colonies.

_Military strength : _1 to 2 garrison regiments. 1 light fighter patrol. 2 to 5 System defense boats. At least three emergency comm buoys.

**Class 1 Associated Colony: **The first tier of colony that is fully under SA jurisdiction, Class 1 colonies are lightly populated and on the fringes of human space. They cannot afford the tax burden that would enable them more robust SA support, so the hand of the SA is by necessity very light in these systems. A Class 1 world loses all rights to harvest the resources of it's solar system until it becomes Class 2, so social services, defense costs, and any other assistance requested must be paid for by allowing the SA to perform HE3 mining, asteroid mining, or ceding planets in the system for SA military bases. Class 1 colonies have less than 100,000 inhabitants, and automatically are granted Tier 1 Citizenship. Horizon is a Class 1 Colony.

_Military strength : _1 to 2 garrison regiments. 1 light fighter patrol. 2 to 5 System defense boats. At least three emergency comm buoys.

**Class 2 Associated Colony: ** A developed colony, one that is of a size to warrant at least one seat in the SA Congress. Class 2 colonies are fully self-sufficient and pay full taxes. As a result, the colony receives the right and proceeds from all development in the system. They own the HE3 rights to any gas giants, mineral deposits, and the like. They can levy taxes on any operating corporate entity in the system. Class 2 colonies have between 100,000 and 5,000,000 inhabitants. All natural-born inhabitants are granted Class 2 citizenship , and immigrants are also granted class 2 upon passing their citizenship tests. Eden Prime was a class 2 associated colony.

_Military strength : _ 1 garrison battalion, reinforced. 3 fighter squadrons. 12 to 15 System defense boats, backed by 1 battle group. At least fifty emergency comm buoys. Between 2 and 5 GARDIAN tower defense clusters.

**Class 3 Associated Colony:** An older colony, with associated sub colonies, these are the largest colonies outside of full member colonies. Class 3 colonies are often some of the most developed colonies in the SA, on occasion being more developed than Member Colonies. Each one pays a full share of taxes, just like Class 2, and has the right to the development of their solar system. Class 3 colonies also have the right to establish their own sub-colonies and form semi-autonomous regional governments of said colonies. As with Class 2, they can levy taxes, and many class 3 planets maintain local currency along with the galactic credit. Any colony of more than five million inhabitants qualifies for this status, which grants it's citizens Class 3 citizenship rank for all native born inhabitants whose parents were also Class 3. Immigrants are automatically class 1 citizens and can apply for class 2 citizenship. Elysium is a Class 3 colony.

_Military strength : _3 to 4 garrison battalions, reinforced. 2 fighter wings. 20 to 100 System defense boats, backed by 2 battle groups. At least 2,000 emergency comm buoys. Between 15 and 50 GARDIAN tower defense clusters. Additionally, some Class 3 colonies maintain private naval and ground forces, usually the equivalent of an additional battle group of ships, and several regiments of infantry.

**Member Colonies and Mainline Assets (Sol, Arcturus, and the Citadel)**: These bastions of the SA are the most heavily defended and have the most rights of all colonies. With the exception of the Citadel, all citizens have class 4 citizenship. Often abbreviated to MCMA, these worlds are extremely heavily garrisoned, and their systems are completely under the management of the SA as a whole. Proceeds from mining and other resource gathering operations are distributed throughout the systems. Taxes, however, are almost twice that of a Class 3 colony.

_Military strength : _1 to 3 army groups, often heavily reinforced. 2 to as many as 5 fighter divisions. 200 to over a thousand System defense boats, backed by 4 to 6 battle groups used for system patrols. At least 5,000 emergency comm buoys. Between 80 and 140 GARDIAN tower defense clusters. (Earth has 1,500 plus orbital defense satellites and ground to space cannons.)

Earth itself is defended by the _Solguard_: a dedicated reinforced flotilla of heavy cruisers, heavy frigates, carriers and 2 additional fighter divisions. 1 army of infantry, 3 armored battalions, and 4 RRU groups round out this force.

Arcturus is protected by an additional regiment of X rating Secret Service personnel, with an attached flotilla of specialist ships, including battle cruisers and a carrier-cruiser. The Arcturus base itself fields a staggering 6,500 fighters and over a thousand system patrol boats, as well as it's own defenses.

**Protectorates**: Usually tiny , purpose built colonies or space stations, Protectorates are entirely owned by the SA. As such, they are usually attached, and derive their rights, from whatever SA colony they are associated with. However, as direct installations or settlements of the SA, they enjoy the same rights as a Member Colony, and their own representatives in Congress.

Protectorates have no defined military strength. Some protectorates are actual military bases, others are tiny science outposts, intelligence forward bases, or diplomatic meeting areas.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **_Soldier stuff. Some N7 classes aren't in here because I don't plan to use them. I love the Fury and the Paladin, I do, but they don't make a lot of sense. _

**Systems Alliance Military Structure: Military Strategy **

**Ground Operations**

As a rule, the Systems Alliance prefers defensive operations to offensive ones. Relying on their tiered response system gives them flexibility in reacting to incursions, and humans are by their psychological nature defensive rather than offensive. That is not to suggest that the SA has no offensive operations or planning , or that the SA military is incompetent at offense, but rather to acknowledge the fact that SA strategy would much rather not have to repeat the First Contact War's desperate assault to free Shanxi.

That being said, the ground forces of the SA can be broken into various distinct groups, each with their own fighting styles and operative theaters.

_General Infantry, Ground Deployed_: Marine forces on the ground on colony sites, or during landing invasions, typically rely on a fairly small book of tactics. Units are rated on battle strength , unit cohesion, and endurance, and deployed with the stronger units at the flanks and front, weaker units in the center backed with armor and stiffened with officers and elite units. Most combat teams operate at the detachment level, with the lieutenant on the ground providing real-time data updates to the regiment commander.

Ground units favor heavy suppressive fire, aggressive use of grenades to flush targets from cover, and a reliance on support personnel for flexibility. Most squads will have at least one combat engineer, skilled in electronic warfare and operating multiple combat drones as scouts and decoys. The use of more flexible assets (biotics, snipers, and Sentinels) is usually eschewed by basic infantry groups.

Offensively, the SAMC favors two attack patterns: Plan ADAM and Plan FOXTROT. ADAM is the assault tactic. Squads move forward in overlapping fire patterns, securing their flanks with proximity mines and combat drones. Squad fire is focused on targets of resistance, followed by grenades, both smoke and fragmentation. During the period of confusion of an enemy, advance under fire is performed, with the intent of flushing the enemy from cover.

Plan FOXTROT is used when the infantry is acting as the anvil for elite units to drive an enemy into. A defensive plan, it calls for squads to dig in asymmetrically, with more mobile units and combat engineers up front. As an enemy pushes, they are slowed with grenades and autofire, as well as traps and proximity mines. The intent is to cause wounds, forcing an enemy to waste time, seek cover, and if possible, expend medigel. Once an enemy assault has been ground to a stop, the unit focuses on suppressive fire to pin them in place and allow the elite units to flank them.

_General Infantry, Marine Assault:_ Marines assaulting another naval vessel have to vary the assault tempo based on whether the opposing ship has gravity or not. Combat boarding is rare outside of pirate raids and extreme ship actions, but is still trained for as a drill.

Generally speaking, marines storming an enemy ship will switch to shotguns and flashbangs. Emphasis is on storming positions in as much strength as possible, disabling enemy ships systems, and inflicting casualties on the non-combatant crew. Even if a boarding action cannot capture the ship, killing it's navigation or ops staff or blowing up the ships heat regulation system will take it out of the battle. High speed charges, covered by smoke and flash grenades, are the most common tactic. In more extreme situations, since Marines will always have full environmental armor, high explosives are used to breach the hull and render spaces open to the vacuum of space.

More common is the requirement to board hostile stations, especially pirate fueling stations. The basic tactics are the same, with the addition that no high explosive tactics are ever used given the dangerous aspects of a fueling station. While HE3 is hardly explosive, many of the chemical compounds used to enrich it into spaceship fuel are not only highly explosive but corrosive and toxic.

Unlike ground operations, due to limited time and difficulty in securing areas, Marines are told to not bother trying to take prisoners during space assaults.

_Special Forces: _NCT and S-rating strike teams work from entirely different playbooks than normal soldiers. Even the most inexperienced NCT soldier is a graduate of the most difficult space combat school in the known galaxy, usually with 10+ years experience. As a result, NCT soldiers have such a wide range of possible talents (biotics, including alien styled biotics such as singularities, combat drones, warp fields, heavy weapons, engineering infowar assets) that a single description of tactics would be by definition incomplete. However, a few points of common interest are always present. NCT and S teams are sent after specific objectives. These range from hostile asset recovery , uplinks to spy drones or comm equipment, escorting information drones or recovering wounded prisoners, and the like. As a result, most NCT and S teams focus on striking as hard and as fast as possible and getting out quickly. Given their small numbers (most NCT teams are four man groups, and S-teams are five man groups), they prefer to avoid straight up fights. Their skillsets ensure that they will almost always have snipers capable of taking down sentries and allowing them to move in stealth , and if they are successful, as one NCT veteran put it, "The goal is to never see us coming or going."

_DACT Jump Teams: _Widely considered certifiably insane even by N7 units, Raptor jump marines pride themselves on fearlessness , bravado, and the chaotic terror they inspire in their targets. Jumping from shuttles or even low orbit, these super-heavy infantry soldiers rely on their battlesuits for support in combat. Equipped with auto-targeting missile launchers, smoke grenades, auto-kinetic emergency barriers, and the heaviest weapons this side of vehicle armaments, they do not shy from any force in their way. Most DACT teams have two gunners equipped with coaxial mass accelerator miniguns, which can mow down an enemy squad in about half a second of sustained fire and take out light armored tanks in a few seconds.

DACT teams are meant to wreak havoc and confusion, and they target officers, comm systems, and non-combatants as priorities. They use the most gruesome ammo mods they can, most often hellfire or shredder rounds, and prefer high-impact weapons. Their sidearms are designed for psychological terror – Carnifex pistols with mushroom ammo, light flamethrowers, even krogan-adapted shotgun are common. DACT snipers regularly employ anti-material sniper rifles against unshielded and unarmored targets, and DACT biotics practice to ensure they scatter as much gore as possible in the use of their skills.

As a result, almost every enemy unit , taken completely by surprise and hit by weapons usually employed against tanks and (in at least one famous case, starships) , unsurprisingly tend to break and flee in terror. DACT teams are trained to force already weakened units into panic, which not only will panic other units and sap morale, but may lead enemy units directly into waiting and prepared marines who will mow them down.

DACT teams are more rarely used to extract captured high priority personnel. They swap out their crazed persona for stealth operations in this case, focusing on getting in and getting out. This does not detract from their ferocity – if anything, a DACT team on a recovery mission is even more vicious and brutal than in assault – but the weapons are silenced snipers, noise-suppressed SMG's, and biotic CQB techniques. A single DACT team once killed over 90 hostiles in the course of twelve minutes, without any alarms being sounded, in the recovery of a pregnant female officer taken by batarian slavers.

_RRU Teams: _Rapid Response Units are deployed when multiple alerts have been called and incoming hostile forces are far in excess of what local units can reliably handle. As a result, RRU's tend towards flashy tactics to raise allied morale and take pressure off of wavering front-line units. RRU's are lead by strongly charismatic figures who can not only lead but inspire confidence and devotion.

RRU tactics are simplistic , and based on the strength of the unit's members. Rather than carefully laid plans, RRU's are trained to quickly assess a battlefield, find enemy weak spots and allied zones of fatigue, and either disrupt the enemy attack or shore up defenses. Disrupting and breaking enemy assaults allows beleaguered allied units to catch their breath and reorganize, while if an allied unit is about to crack, RRU's can stiffen their resolve. Having fifty or more N5+ soldiers suddenly support your position, screaming battle cries and blasting away with heavy weapons has turned more than one near rout of Alliance forces into heroic last stands.

RRU's have a fatalistic outlook, often playing the turian anthem "Die for the Cause" in an ironic subtext. Fully expected to sacrifice themselves to protect civilians, weaker military units, or to prevent routs, RRU's have some of the highest casualty rates in the SA military. Over 16 RRU units have been completely obliterated to the last man, and nine more were basically reduced to non-effective strength, in SA history. Regardless of this, RRU's are often seen as the most heroic defenders of the SA, and there is no shortage of volunteers.

_RIU Teams:_ The first line of defense when something has gone wrong, RIU units are disproportionally intelligence officers, snipers, sentinels and combat engineers. Given their small size, RIU's have to learn to "fight big" in order to gain an understanding of the issue, make snap judgments on reinforcement calls, and respond to events on the fly. As a result, there is almost no standard book on how RIU's fight, as each one is handcrafted by it's commanding officer.

Some RIU's are merely skirmish and scout units, deployed to get a handle on a situation and call for backup. Others are hot-drop assault units, flung into the line to steady existing forces as if they were a mini-RRU. Still others are saboteur-snipers, working to dismantle enemy assaults and slow attacks to give reinforcements time to arrive. '

Not nearly as tough as NCT's, nor with the numbers of an RRU, RIU's end up being martyrs more often than not. It was the RIU's that prevented Mindoir from being wiped completely off the map. It was the RIU's that held off the initial assaults on Shanxi and turned back the Primarch's Fist assassins sent to take out General Williams. If not for the quick organizational actions of a single lieutenant on Eden Prime in falling back to a comm tower, the Normandy would have been completely ignorant of local conditions and most likely destroyed when arriving there. RIU's are gritty, tough fighters who focus on individual survival tactics and asymmetric guerrilla warfare.

_Penal Legions (My AU only) _: The Penal Legions are widely feared, rarely deployed, and almost never talked about. Comprised of hardened criminals evaluated as redeemable, 85% of the Legions are comprised of hardened mercenaries captured in battle, former pirates, gang members, drug dealers, and war criminals. Kept in line through special snipers, surgically implanted explosive charges, and biotic 'commissars' with the authority to execute deserters and disobedient soldiers on the spot, they are wild and undisciplined. Issued only partial body armor and the single-shot Mattock rifle, they are trained in 20th century style infantry fighting – covering lanes of fire, support through numbers, and attrition warfare.

Penal Legions are rated on stability (how likely the unit is to break) and reliability (how likely the unit is to crack and try to kill the supervising snipers and officers). Even the best Penal Legion units are hardly a match for a mainline military unit, under normal circumstances, on paper.

In reality, Penal Legions have decimated forces three times their size. Every member is technically already dead – if they fail to fight they are executed – and thus members swiftly lose all fear of death. Motivated by the promise of a cleaned criminal record and employment in the military, and given decent rations and education, the average Penal Legion soldier has every reason to fight hard and never surrender or flee.

The wide range of skills in the Penal Legions defies easy summary. Some have backgrounds as snipers, saboteurs, or infiltrators. Almost 25% of the Legions are biotic criminals, some with powers rivaling C6 rated military biotics. Another 20% has at least military-grade (usually illegal) cybernetic modification. Given their background , they do not shy from "dirty tasks" that the SA would rather avoid publicizing, such as executing civilians, doing wetwork, sabotaging civilian infrastructure, and the like.

Penal Legions are never deployed as garrison forces and are kept on their own ships. They are called out only for assaults in most cases – using the Penal Legion on defense is not appreciated by locals, who worry the former criminals might escape and cause problems on their world. Legionaries wear a modified all-black SA uniform, while their handlers wear white.

**Soldier Classifications**

_Infantryman:_ a generic soldier training package. Equipped with Onyx armor and the Avenger assault rifle (later the Valkyrie) , each soldier is issued 4 grenades and a choice of sidearms (shotgun, heavy pistol, or light flame unit). Soldiers are classed as light or heavy infantry by armor and training , with garrison units being given lighter armor than front-line marine units. DACT Raptor soldiers are issued the Devastator or Icarus body armor, onboard missile launchers, and other heavy weapons.

_Combat Engineer: _an infowar specialist, the combat engineer is issued Onyx Specialist armor, a choice of submachine guns, and at least one heavy weapon. Engineers are trained in omni-tool deployments of extruded armaments, such as inferno missiles, incineration fields, cryogenic blasts, electrical overload charges, and the like. All SA engineers are trained in the creation and operation of both combat drones and light fixed guns. N7 specialist engineers are issued a sniper rifle and can construct StrongPoint system defense turrets, that provide enhanced weapons cooling (or a supply of thermal clips in later years) as well as emergency kinetic shielding. Combat Engineers also serve as battle medics, some going so far as to rate up in the H or J ratings, respectively.

_Scout-Sniper:_ The scout sniper is almost always deployed in light battle armor , to cut down on weight. Equipped with haptic HUD targeting, laser rangefinders, infra-red target designators, and a low-power optical cloaking field, these specialists range forward to pick off officers , engineers, medics, and other targets of opportunity. Trained in some limited infowar techniques, especially hacking , decryption and a few omni-tool dirty tricks, Scout-Snipers also carry a range of grenades for offensive purposes. They can construct a "defense drone", a cut-down version of a combat drone that protects them from being flanked while setting up long range shots. Scout-Snipers are not front-line soldiers and , aside from their sniper rifles, are usually armed very lightly. Most work in two-man teams when not deployed in a unit, one acting as the shooter, the other the spotter.

_Vanguard-Program CQB Biotic Specialist:_ Combat at close range is unnerving for most soldiers, but not the Vanguards. Put through an exhausting regimen of training, the Vanguard has mastered the asari method of kanquess, or "moving through the all". Creating a short ranged mass effect tunnel, the vanguard is able to hurtle into a mass of enemy soldiers with a shocking impact, the excess mass effect energies blasting all those around him or her. A human innovation has been to modify the warp field upon exit into a blast that humans call a nova. Vanguards cannot use regular kinetic shields, since that interferes with biotics, but can hold their own biotic barriers for protection. Usually equipped with powerful shotguns and close-range large caliber handguns , Vanguards are heavily trained in martial arts, wrestling, and gymnastics. Able to close range in a split second and disable a group of enemies, Vanguards wear heavy armor and rely on their biotic charge for mobility. Vanguards carry a small variety of grenades for fallback use, and on occasion carry flamethrowers to cause chaos in an enemy line formation.

_Sentinel Program Elite Infowar Biotic Specialist_: Sentinels are the most elite human soldiers, biotics trained in infowar, sniping, and close quarters battle. Operating the most advanced armor the SA has to offer, they bolster it with overlapping defensive barriers of warp armor known as Tech Armor. Sentinels practice some of the Scout-Sniper's tricks, including denial of area attacks using incineration fields and sniper rifles, but also are strong biotics capable of warping enemy armor or throwing soldiers dozens of feet away. The combination means the Sentinel can fill almost any role, but the time and expense of training one is prohibitive. Most Sentinels can be found in RRU's and RIU's, providing much needed flexibility to such units.

_Biotic Specialists_: The C-rank personnel who don't qualify for Vanguard or Sentinel training programs are organized into four man teams called (in a theatrical touch of the macabre) covens. Jokes about witches aside, biotic covens focus on synergy of biotic skills in the creation and detonation of a wide array of biotic fields and effects. Given only the lightest armor, and usually a light SMG for a sidearm, biotics see themselves as living weapons. Most focus either on providing team support (barriers, shockwaves, lift for carrying wounded teammates) or firepower (warp , singularity, biotic storm, etc) to bolster the squad's offensive rating.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **_Some how, my fool mind completely forgot the most important piece – ABBREVIATIONS AND NOMENCLATURE. _

_Ugh, my insipid stupidity stuns me sometimes. This chapter will be edited many times, if someone has a term they don't get let me know and I can add it. _

**Systems Alliance Military Nomenclature and Abbreviations**

_Communications:_

1MC: ships general announcement circuit. Used solely by the captain of a vessel for ship wide announcements.

3MC: Damage control circuit

5MC: Engineering control circuit

Dlink: Dedicated comm link, a hardline wired comms link usually buried underground and shielded from detection

Wlink: wireless linked node network

Hotlink: jury-rigged radio network

Qlink: Quantum Entanglement pair.

Comm-Buoy: a signal repeater that passes signals using FTL energy bands.

Link-Buoy: a dedicated set of communications buoys that pass through mass relays for important burst traffic.

Emergency Comm Buoy: VI Driven automated drone ship , that can leave a planet and transit to the nearest mass relay to obtain help. Useful when all other communications buoys in the system have been destroyed.

_Navigation:  
_

SSO: Single stage to orbit: a craft that can go from atmosphere to orbit without assistance from other vehicles.

Drift: the amount of distance in miles that a ship has moved when transiting a relay. Smaller is better.

Flipover: Turning the ship around when radically breaking from high speeds

_Engineering:  
_

Core dump: emergency venting of heat from a drive core

IES: the Normandy's internal stealth system.

_Operations:_

Alpha, Beta, Gamma: target designators.

Soft-lock: weapons control firing solution that is based on passive data

Hard-lock: weapons control firing solution that is based on active sensor data

Hot-lock: manually input firing solution, not computer assisted. Also called "eyeballing it". Not recommended with mass accelerator weapons.

_Environmental:_

HEPA: High Efficiency Particle Affinity , type of filter used onboard ships.

DETA: Dangerous Environment, Triggered Activation: powered air filters that link to VI's to conform to different filter patterns depending on the environment

Blown Fit: damage to a ships armor plates resulting in a poor fit between the sections, can lead to static discharge explosions.

Snaps: internal electrical failures due to high static discharge levels

People Tank: Area where crew inside a ship live

Happy Tank: tanks that contain ships O2, water, etc

Lava Soap Job: using the ships air systems to recycle the air on a planet where the atmosphere smells good.

Party Wipe: all hands cleaning evolution

_Mass Effect conditions:_

Coming in Hot: jump into a system with high levels of static discharge. Unsafe.

Warp Magic: faux FTL effect caused by poorly understood mass effect "snapback" after a jump, results in a ship seemingly not being in the location it's light-images suggest it should be.

Popped Tunnel: collapse of a mass effect jump tunnel. Very rare. Usually not healthy for the ship.

_Weapons Systems:_

ODIN: Oracal Demolitions INcindiary: A highly illegal shotgun with built in hellfire mods. Made famous and partially designed by Commander Shepard.

Pop-gun: light pistols

Popcorn Machine: SMG

Boomstick: modified shotgun with permanent carnage mods and shredder ammo. Also generic nickname for shotguns.

SWIFT gun: Stands for "see what I fucked up today". Pejorative nickname for shoddy guns.

BSA trash: Batarian State Arms weapons. Sneered at by Alliance personnel due to low quality.

Big Poppa: Heavy pistol.

Blender: high rate of fire machine guns or heavy SMG's.

AT&T: nickname for a headshot with sniper rifles, reference to the advertising tune of "reach out and touch someone".

Off-sink: external modified heat sink for old style guns

Drum: rotary thermal clip holder

BBQ: mods that deal with fire or incendiary

Hot waffle: old style explosive grenades

_Armor Systems:_

K-suit: non-armored uniform with a built in kinetic barrier

H-suit or hardsuit: fully environmentally sealed armor

P-suit: Pressurized work suit, like what an astronaut wears. Archaic.

D-suit: Raptor assault ground armor.

I-suit or Angel: Icarus Raptor Jump armor. An upgraded D-suit.

Pokey Lights: nickname for suits with fancy haptic lighting

Big O: Onyx standard armor.

Shit-suit: environmental ops gear used in hazardous materials areas.

_Omni-tool Systems:_

Mustard: incendiary blasts

Mayo: electrical shocks

Ketchup: physics based assaults, like air pressure blasts

Frosty: ice based attacks

D-slap: a quick decryption attempt

Wheels on the bus: derogatory nickname for decryption against doors.

Shock the monkey: use of electrical overcharge to bypass security systems

_General Military parlance:_

GMT : General Military Training

Reveille : wake up call

Jarhead: slang for marines, ground based.

Fancy Ladies: slang for marines, ship based. Often used somewhat bitterly.

Welcome Wagon: ironic nickname for RIU

Skid Grease: very derogatory name for garrison units.

Vasquez: nickname for heavy weapons personnel

Game Over Man: movie reference now mockingly applied to the arrival of RRU

Jordans: mocking nickname for N7 NCT

Sau Paulo Death-squad: disturbing nickname for some bloodthirsty DACT teams.

Shit ain't Halo: game reference , mocking insult to DACT teams

Goalkeeper: nickname for combat engineers

Audie Murphies: nickname for heroic N7's

Butcher's Pets: harsh nickname for soldiers who emulate Commander Shepard in getting most of their unit killed.

Cack: to kill , usually in reference to friendly fire. Also : frag, knock-knock

_Naval parlance:_

CIC: Command Information Center , where ships operations are run from

EOD: Engineering / Operations Deck – lowest level of Normandy SR1

NSO: Navigation and Ship Operations, upper deck of Normandy SR1

CQS: Crew Quarters and Systems, middle deck of Normand SR1

FOB / FOC / FOA: Forward Operating staging area, where soldiers group up before an assault

Port/Starboard: left and right , respectively

Aft: rearward

bulkhead : wall

hot-shot: specially loaded rounds designed to not pierce ship hulls, used by ship security

Coffins: sleeper pods

chop-box: medical bay

vent: fan-driven powered ventilation system

_N7 parlance:_

Rookie Jiffy: mocking nickname for N1 personnel.

Leroys: overly aggresive N1 personnel, likely to be killed in action

Fang it: nickname to assault objective as one unit

GFL: stands for "get fucking lucid", derisive term used to describe orders that will likely lead to the unit's destruction.

_Alien References :_

Spikes, spikeys, chickens : Turians

LGM, Greys: salarians

Turtles, Shells: Krogan

Jellies, Hippies : Hanar

Frogs , Scales : Drell

Roaches: Vorcha

Blues, Venuses: Asari

Fours, Hot Target: batarian

Slips: Slavers

Bugs: Collectors


	7. Chapter 7

**FLEET ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS:**

The Systems Alliance currently has five fleets, which is a total of roughly 2500 ships. The breakdown of it's ships is currently as follows:

**Fighters**: roughly 18,000 (Ten Divisions)

Light Fighter: 6,000 (plus 200 – 300 deployed forward on independent ops)

Strike Fighter: 4,500

Heavy Fighter: 2,500

Space Superiority Fighter: 4,000

Torpedo Bomber: 650

Heavy Bomber: 450

**Frigates**: 361

Scout Frigate: 160

Battle Frigate: 145

Heavy Missile Frigate: 55

Stealth Frigate (Normandy) : 1

**Destroyers**: 155

**Cruisers**: 182

Light Cruiser: 66

Line Cruiser: 86

Heavy Cruiser: 23

Battle Cruiser: 7

**Carriers**: 25

Cruiser-Carrier: 17

Battle Carrier: 8

**Dreadnaughts**: 9

Dreadnaught Battleships: 7

Dreadnaught Carriers: 2

**FLEET ORGANIZATION AND RATINGS:**

Each of the Five Fleets has a number of officers in charge, as well as a set of ratings indicating it's battle readiness.

Commanding Officer: The CO of the fleet entire, not a given ship. The Fleet CO determines the assignment given to the fleet's squadrons, who operate independently. The CO usually only maintains direct oversight of his command group (a couple of battle groups and his command vessel).

Political Officer: A C7-level officer who has undergone specialist loyalty training on Earth, the political officer serves two purposes. First, they act to ensure none of the Fleet Admirals let the power that answers to them go to their head. A product of the early days of colonization, the commissars ensure the fleets never turn against Earth's governments or the Systems Alliance. The political officer also ensures that the various deployable weapons of mass destruction (targetable FTL plotters, nuclear devices, chemical or viral warfare platforms, and black nano) are only deployed with proper SA authorization. Almost all political officers have extensive political , economic and intelligence training alongside their impressive biotic abilities.

Flight Master: Lead officer of all assigned fighter groups in a fleet, he coordinates between the various flight leaders.

Fleet General: the senior marine officer on board,in overall charge of the ground forces assigned to a fleet.

Each Fleet is given four rankings, which determine their overall readiness.

_Reliability_: This is an indicator of the unit's overall obedience to the Systems Alliance and Earth, based on past actions and the origin of it's officers. Ratings include high, moderate, low, and rebellious. In practical terms, the SA measures this in two ways. First , the absolute percentage of enlisted and officers that are from Earth or Sol System. Second, the percentage of enlisted and officers who get a 3.0 or greater in their "Loyalty" section on evaluations.

High: 76% or greater

Moderate: 61% - 75%

Low: 50% to 60%

Rebellious: below 50%

It is worth noting that current regulations REQUIRE at least 40% of all applicants to the Sol Officer Academy to be of Sol ancestry

_Morale_: The willingness of the unit to take losses in battle and fight rather than break or retreat. Ratings are fanatic, driven, normal, and shaky. In practical terms, the SA measures this in two factors. First, the percentage of officers and enlisted who rate a 2 or higher on the Mental Evaluation Battery. Second, historically how many times any section of the fleet (down to ship and even platoon level) has withdrawn from battle vs. overall instances of battle.

Fanatic: 5% chance of retreat, 2% chance of rout. Defined if 5% of the unit has any history of rout.

Driven: 15% chance of retreat, 5% chance of rout. Defined if between 6% and 15% of the unit has any history of rout.

Normal: 25% chance of retreat, 10% chance of rout. Defined if 16% to 49% of the unit has any history of rout.

Shaky: 45% chance of retreat, 20% chance of rout. Defined if 50% or more of the unit has any history of rout.

A retreat is defined as a controlled fallback from a position. A rout is when a unit breaks and flees against orders in no organized fashion. Units liable to routing are the first one stiffened by command squadrons, additional fighters or frigates, RIU or RRU units, or NCT's.

_Supply Level_: How well equipped the unit is, from weapons to actual supplies. Levels are SOTA (state of the art) , full equipment, stock equipment, or depleted.

Practically, the supply levels define what kind of gear a unit can requisition and what kind of budget they are given to supplement stock.

Experimental equipment is cutting edge tech , sometimes alien, sometimes just developed. Geth weapons, salarian weapons, self-repairing body armor, and advanced equipment like Colossus and HK Skunkwerks is considered experimental.

Reinforced equipment is redesigned , remastered gear of excellent quality, like the difference between class I and class X in ME3. Gear is lighter, tougher, faster, etc.

Stock gear is the standard SA loadout.

Restricted is gear that is older stock SA gear, usually used or retrofitted.

Garrison Level is gear that is very old and cheap, and not even standard SA gear. Ashley having to wear crap Sirta armor is a good example.

SOTA: Experimental, reinforce, and stock equipment. Requisitions at 200% of normal values. (After ME3, Thanix Cannons available). Ground units can request bio-organic replacement of lost limbs or internal cyberware. Usually available only to mainline core units.

Full Equipment: reinforced and stock equipment. Requisitions at 150% of normal values. External cyberware is available. Usually available to support units in the Sol and Member regions.

Stock Equipment: SA Standard loadout. Stock equipment and Restricted Gear levels. Most Holding Units and outlying colonies have this level.

Depleted: Bits of Stock equipment, mostly Garrison Level gear. Requisitions at 55% of normal values. Some black market items show up, but most are in poor condition. Poor colonies, independents and the occasional distant Protectorate have this level of supply.

_Experience_: How much battle experience does the unit have? Ratings are Elite, Veteran, Normal, and Green.

Experience is derived by the total "point value" of battle commendations awarded to active members of the fleet. Points are assigned by commendations for valor, enemies destroyed, and a wide range of activities. These are compared fleet wide and rankings set.

Top 10% : Elite

Top 25%: Veteran

Top 50%: Normal

All not in top 50%: Green

**CURRENT SA FLEET LISTING**

FIRST FLEET: "Terra's Shield" (Symbol: Earth rampant on a shield of gold, SA logo below)

Commanding Officer: Fleet Master Ivan Dragunov

Political Officer: Commandant Theresa Slate

Flight Master: Colonel William Dando-Collins

Fleet General: Major General Jack Orlo

Reliability: High

Morale : Fanatic

Supply Level: SOTA

Experience: Green

The defenders of Sol system, the First Fleet is the largest and most powerful of all of the Systems Alliance fleets. Each of it's three squadrons are lead by a dreadnaught, and the Fleet has high percentages of heavy cruisers, frigates , and the like. Almost entirely crewed by officers and enlisted from Earth or Sol itself, the few exceptions tend to be from the oldest colonies. The only real weakness of the fleet is that it has literally never been in a real fight. While almost all of it's officers and enlisted have some battle experience, the fleet has not been called to battle duty since the First Contact War.

Notable Units:

5th Battle Group: Commanded by Captain Jacen Dragunov, the Fleet Master's brother, this small group is directly assigned to the Charon Relay. Notable for being the lead ship being a cruiser-carrier, and all of it's frigates being heavy missile frigates, the 5th has the heavy duty of being the only unit in the SA military capable of sounding Battle Alert Adorior without needing higher authorization, in case of hostiles coming through the Charon Relay.

19th ABU: Main armor unit of the First Fleet, this tank brigade all pilot the brand-new M-34 Blacktail, a hover-tank incorporating self-repairing armor and SSTO capability. Commanded by Major Lance Valsaw, it is stationed on Earth itself, protecting the Vancouver United Defense Headquarters.

SECOND FLEET: "Fist of Arcturus" (Symbol: Black fist sinister on a grey field, stars in background)

Commanding Officer: Admiral Mario Thanenzi

Political Officer: Commandant Jason Frost

Flight Master: Lt. Colonel Sara Armstrong

Fleet General: Major General Rene Sashan

Reliability: High

Morale : Fanatic

Supply Level: SOTA

Experience: Normal

Stationed out of Arcturus, the Second Fleet does a lot of inter-fleet driils, rapid response and patrol duties for the systems near Earth. The Second Fleet has the most stock cruisers and the most experience in long and wide ranging patrols, boring but effective at cutting down piracy. It's infantry units are more green than other fleets, however.

THIRD FLEET: "Remember Mindoir" (Symbol: A burning flame , on a circle of white)

Commanding Officer: Admiral Hales Okuda

Political Officer: War-Captain Jeremy Sloan

Flight Master: Colonel Francis Collier

Fleet General: Lieutenant General Frank Jack Watson

Reliability: Low

Morale : Fanatic

Supply Level: Normal

Experience: Elite

The primary fleet defending the frontier, this is a severely battle hardened fleet, mostly spread among various colonies. Now stationed at Mindoir, the fleet blames itself for not being able to respond in time. Perhaps as a result, it specializes in RIU and RRUs, with larger proportions of destroyers as well.

Notable Units:

Second RRI (Retired): Once commanded by Major Kyle, the 2RRU was the most famous and daring of the Rapid Response Units in the SA. It boasted multiple NCT's, including the deadly team codenamed "Neutron", led by then Lieutenant Commander Sara Shepard. The 2RRU was almost destroyed to the last man on Torfan, in a botched raid that was supposed to be vengeance for Mindoir. Ultimately, 97% of the unit died. Over 120 Batarian prisoners were lined up and shot, one by one, and investigations showed hundreds of dead batarian females and children.

FOURTH FLEET: "Hammer of Elysium" (Symbol: SA Logo on the head of a large sledgehammer)

Commanding Officer: Admiral John Tyrson

Political Officer: High Commandant Jaquin de la Muerte

Flight Master: Colonel Richard Ross

Fleet General: Brigadier General Sally Dimetriov

Reliability: Rebellious

Morale : Shaky

Supply Level: Restricted

Experience: Veteran

A worn-down fleet, the Fourth is deployed to cover the Skyllian Verge. Exhausted from years of fighting, and with little resupply, the loyalty of the fleet is in question, it's supply lines weak, and it's morale is questionable. John Tyrson is rumored to be consider retirement to Elysium, and recently the SA High Commandant himself took the position of political officer to "reform the weak". The fleets specialization is it's many carriers and heavy cruisers.

FIFTH FLEET: "Explore Strange New Worlds" (Symbol: Citadel/Earth logo as seen in ME3)

Commanding Officer: Admiral Stephen Hackett

Political Officer: War-Captain Marut Nishief

Flight Master: Colonel Monrue von Khar

Fleet General: Major General Jeremy Grissom-Hale

Reliability: High

Morale : Fanatic

Supply Level: SOTA

Experience: Veteran

Considered the most balanced and possibly the best of the fleets the Alliance has to offer, the Fifth Fleet is stationed at the Citadel as humanity's contribution to the Citadel Military. The fifth fleet's specialty is frigates, and it is 'lighter' on heavy ships than the other fleets, but makes up for it with slightly more fighters and a much heavier infantry component.

Notable Units:

63rd Scout Flotilla: Commanded by Rear Admiral Mikhailovich, the 63SF is a fast-strike deep assault unit used to harry and destroy pirates. With over a hundred anti-pirate ops under his belt, Mikhailovich is seen as the scourge of the Terminus Warlords who try to get in close to Citadel space for smuggling or captives. The Normandy is nominally attached to the 63SF.

**Non-Fleet Divisions of the SA Military:**

Alliance R&D: In charge of research and application of development projects. Commanded by Rear Admiral Synthia Vandefar.

Alliance Special Investigative: Specialist police and internal military investigators. Commanded by Commandant-Captain Marko Vilnus.

Alliance Intelligence: INFORMATION REDACTED Commanded by INFORMATION REMOVED AS PER SAIS CHARTER SECTION 5, SUBSECTION 11.2b

Alliance Space Survey: Responsible for locating , exploring, tagging, and surveying new planets and systems. Commanded by Rear Admiral Dean Fosset.

Alliance Archaeological Survey: Oversees the Mars Archive, it's defenses, and all Prothean related materials for the SA. Commanded by Doctor (Colonel) Uriel Hannah Sievar.

Alliance Ecological Studies Service: Scientists attempting to restore the damage done to Earth's ecology, particularly in the former Third World. Commanded by Vice Admiral Michell Milaore.

Alliance SKYWATCH Protocol: a small number of orbital defense platforms that watch Earth's skies for incoming asteroids. Commanded by Captain Jared Check.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N:** I had to re-write this section since it was scattered out and conflicted itself in several places. This is the last piece. I can write additional pieces if you have a specific idea you'd like developed. _

* * *

_**TACTICAL OPERATIONS: SPACE**_

* * *

**GENERAL SPACE TACTICAL TERMS:**

Line of battle: an imaginary line drawn through naval units facing forward. Typically considered the orientation of the fleet.

Oblique Attack: an assault at the front diagonal of the enemy line of battle. The purpose is to force heavier ships to turn their main guns from directly ahead, exposing their flank to the opposite oblique.

Flank Attack: an assault from the side (or rear side) of the enemy line of battle. Since few ships have rear-facing weapons and since larger ships maneuver slowly, this can be devastating.

Direct Attack: a full frontal assault, directly into the enemy line of battle.

Overrun: To maneuver into an through an enemy line of battle. Moves the battle to knife-fighting range.

Knife-fighting: nickname for battles with broadside armaments and GARDIAN lasers. Shielding is ineffective against these weapons.

Above/Below the Elliptic: to attack from above or below the planetary plane, a minor advantage since it can shred the vertical line of battle of an enemy fleet.

Littoral: near orbit , typically the most risky space to fight from, since defenders can strike out but attackers must be careful with their shots or they risk hitting the planet. Since most planets are close to the system's star, littoral combat is the most demanding on heat systems and leads to short fights.

Planerial: between planets

Sidereal: in the edges of a solar system, far from it's sun.

* * *

_WEAPON CLASSIFICATIONS:_

**Mass Accelerators: **the primary weapon of most fighters and ships prior to the development of the Thanix, mass accelerators work on the principle of kinetic energy transfer, hurling a fleck or slug of metal at a significant portion of light-speed. Military grade weapons are sorted by the size of the slug they fire. Light weapons are flecks, usually fired in clouds, while dreadnaught guns are slugs varying from 2mm to slugs almost a foot long.

2mm: smallest weapon size on fighters, roughly equivalent to LMG carried by some soldiers. Damage is light.

5mm: very large caliber machine gun. Half the power of a Cobra missile.

12 mm: small mass cannon, gunship. Roughly the power of several Cobra Missiles.

15 mm: large mass cannon, frigate. Roughly the power of 20 Cobra Missiles.

17 mm: heavy mass accelerator , destroyer. About twice the strength of a CAIN.

25 mm: large mass cannon, cruiser and upwards. About 10 CAIN's.

5 cm: secondary gun, dreadnaught. About equivalent to a back-pack nuclear device.

12 cm: main gun, cruiser. About equivalent to tactical nuke.

30 cm: main gun, dreadnaught. Roughly Hiroshima strength blast.

Slugs come in one of three types.

_Standard slugs _are hardened steel, designed for standard kinetic impacts.

_Pulsar slugs_ are larger, built around a barrier-disrupting pulsar, designed to allow the shot to partially penetrate kinetic barriers to strike the hull directly. This pulsar has to be activated after the shot but before the impact, a span of only nano-seconds, and sometimes the pulsar activates too late to be of any use. The pulsar slug is usually used at extreme long range to give it more time to activate.

_Havoc slugs_ are 20 flecks of antimatter stuffed into a reinforced slug body fortified with magnetic bottles. The slug is fired at a slower speed, and the impact of the slug on any solid object or kinetic barrier releases the anti-matter core. This weapon is capable of breaking a dreadnaught in half or searing most of a large island into a firestorm, and is heavily restricted within Citadel space.

**Thanix Streams:** measured in how many meters of plain steel they melt per second. (mS/sec), Thanix streams are mass accelerated bolts of liquid ferrofluid, superheated and pressurized inside a magnetic containment bottle. The wider the stream, the more fluid hits. Stutter-streams only allow a few tenth of a second of fluid to pass, while the full streams let go with 2 to 5 seconds of stream. The Thanix requires large stocks of ammunition in order to fire, so most ships still pair it with conventional mass accelerators.

Note that reinforced and hardened armor is more resistant than mere steel. However, due to differing qualities , strengths, and endurance of armor, steel was used as a baseline measurement unit.

10mm stutter-stream: mounted on heavy fighters. About 2 mS/sec.

20mm stutter-stream: support weapon on destroyers, cruisers. About 8 mS/sec

4cm full stream: Frigate main gun. 110 mS/sec

8cm full stream: Destroyer main gun. 320 mS/sec

25cm full stream: Cruiser main gun. 960 mS/sec

75cm full stream: Dreadnaught main gun. 2100N mS/sec

120 cm full stream: Volus main gun on the Kwunnu. Strongest non-reaper Thanix cannon. Penetration is 5000 mS/sec.

**Missiles: **more simplified that main weapons, missiles come in three 'weights' , which has little to do with their actual physical weight and more the impact power of their payload. Missiles fire rapidly and move very quickly, but have no shielding or armor defenses against GARDIAN lasers. Designed to be cheaper and to pressure naval units, missiles have a fairly long range.

_Light Missiles:_ packed with electronic detonation high explosives, these weapons have a large blast radius and some concussion damage. The cheapest and least damaging missiles, found in system patrol boats, frigates, and the occasional light cruiser.

_Disruptor Missiles: _Packed with counter-rotating mass pulsars and magnetic bottles of plasma, these heavier missiles don't explode so much as erupt. Plasma shorts kinetic barriers and melts armor, while pulsars wreak havoc on a ships mass effect core, sometimes shutting it down, rarely causing it to detonate. Heavy missile frigates, destroyers, cruisers, and carriers use these weapons.

_Fleck missiles_: a magnetic bottle reinforced with kinetic barriers contains a single , tiny fleck of pure anti-matter. Exposed to matter during impact, it detonates violently, spraying hard x-rays, anti-particles and high amounts of pure energy in all directions. Even a handful of fleck missiles can core a cruiser , and they are prohibitively expensive. Due to the damage they can cause, they are also considered WMD and are regulated by the Citadel. Currently, only a handful of specialist destroyers and scout frigates are issued these weapons, to slip behind enemy lines and damage critical enemy targets.

**Torpedoes: **the missile's big brother, a torpedo is a heavy armored casing with a laser-resistant mirror finish, integral kinetic shielding, EMP jamming, and chaff dispensers. Carrying between 3 and 9 flecks of anti-matter, these weapons are more than capable of one-shotting heavy cruisers. Their normal use is to take down dreadnaughts and space stations. Their defenses do not ensure their survival to the target, instead most commanders use them to tie up enemy defenses to let other attacks land home.

**Phase Bombs: **carried by bombers, along with torpedoes, phase bombs are packs of shifted pulsars, designed to nullify the mass effect field of an entire ship. The stress this places on the hull as the mass effect core tries to reassert gravity can cause shearing or explosive decompression, and the backlash can short out electrical systems all across the ship.

**Space to Surface Saturation Missiles:** STSSM's are ground bombardment weapons, cluster bombs packed into specialized missiles designed to survive atmospheric entry and destroy a target. Most use high explosives, but a few carry chemical suppressive agents (sleeping gas, tear gas or other more lethal agents). Mostly found on frigates and destroyers to soften up a target before an assault.

* * *

**Fighters**: the role of fighters can be divided into three broad tasks. The primary task of non-bomber units is to take out other light craft – other fighters, bombers, system patrol boats, and gunships. The primary task of bomber units is to take down the shielding and GARDIAN defenses of larger capital ships. Finally, all fighter units are tasked with destroying frigates and destroyers where possible.

Most fighters are equipped with double (in some cases, triple) mass accelerators in the 2mm to 5mm range. They will also use light to moderate weight missiles, starting with high explosive and ending with anti-matter fleck warheads. Fighter groups operate with four-unit teams , a flight leader, two wing men, and the drag. Flight leaders are in front of the formation, picking targets, and the wing men support the flight leader. The drag flies above and behind the formation, keeping an eye out for flanking units.

Fighters are found on almost every SA ship, even only one or two. They provide close in weapons support for lighter ships, distractions for mid-weight ships, and defend the blind spots of dreadnaughts. Fighter tactical roles range from providing covering fire for ground assault teams to deploying infowar beacons during communications denial ops.

The SA use of fighters is far beyond other races. Fighter squadrons are weapons in and of themselves for humans, who are the only race perfectly suited for their use. Salarians have much quicker reflexes and ability to target, but are too fragile to withstand G forces and deal with shrapnel poorly. Turians have excellent hand-eye coordination, but their spatial coordination is tied up at close range, and they flock instinctively, which makes larger coordination difficult. Asari cannot field the vast numbers of pilots that would be lost to attrition with such strategies.

Asari and Salarian fighter units are rare , and turian claw fighters are held to be far inferior to most human models. Only hanar / drell fighters are considered on par with human fighters, and that's only in technology, not tactics. Humans have hundreds of years of fighter experience, dating from World War II, while other races only used them as upsized gunships.

* * *

**Frigates:** The battle tactics of frigates depend entirely on the theater they operate in. Single ship and small unit actions see frigates as the front line , using speed and maneuvering to bring their missile batteries and light cannons to bear. Lightly armored , frigates cannot take much damage, and as such most battle groups use them to pressure enemies out of the line of battle.

In larger fleets, frigates serve as scouts, carrier defense, and anti-destroyer units. Nimble enough and fast enough to keep up with fighters, frigates are also a fleets primary defense against bombers and heavy fighters. The occasional heavy missile frigate is used primarily as a stand-off multiplier, providing heavy cover for other frigates.

Frigate tactical options are almost endless. Frigates can serve as flankers, as scouts, force multipliers, distractions, screens, or more. The SA boasts a larger proportion of frigates than other races just for this reason. Frigate commanders are chosen for aggression, quick decision making, and the ability to be willing to sacrifice themselves to support larger , more important vessels. That being said, few frigate commanders graduate to anything beyond destroyers - even a few years in the role makes a CO too reckless for cruiser or dreadnaught command.

Frigates are piloted by a single Flight Lieutenant, and are used in almost all sorts of operations. A frigate usually has a detachment-strength marine unit and about 20 to 30 additional personnel. Most frigates house either a MAKO or Grizzly APV. There is little space on a frigate, so supplies and ammunition is sharply limited, and armor units – their endurance is limited to 40 days without supply.

* * *

**Destroyers: ** Heavy enough to have some issues with lighter vessels, but far too light to go toe to toe with cruisers, destroyers are the light middleweights of the Systems Alliance fleet. Since most were built from the frames of light cruisers, they share basic structural toughness with that ship. Destroyers are the backbone of a battle group, providing the covering fire with heavier weapons to allow frigates to close.

Destroyer strategies are limited by the platform's design. A destroyer has a much harder time landing on planets, and will usually have poor airspace maneuverability. That means it's uses are limited mostly to space. Additionally, the destroyer has some of the heavier firepower of a cruiser, but neither the heat dissipation or power levels to maintain such heavy fire at length. They are good at oblique flanking and pressure tactics, and with 17mm guns they can inflict severe damage even on heavy cruisers. They retain some but not all of the flexibility of the frigate, being more useful in the direct line of battle and less so in smaller units where they must take the brunt of the fighting.

As a result, destroyer CO's tend to go for the alpha strike, firing off everything at once and hoping to cripple the opponent. The captains are chosen from the best of the frigate commanders, and given additional training in target management.

The main weak point of a destroyer is it's armor and damage mitigation. Unless vast sums of money are spent reinforcing the interior and armoring all possible spaces, destroyers are vulnerable to being crippled just enough so that frigates can finish them off.

Destroyers much large than frigates, but still are piloted by a single Flight Lieutenant. They carry heavier marine contingents, usually two full detachments, and boast a crew of 60 additional personnel. While capable of limited operations in atmosphere, they are not very nimble in it, and thus usually carry a pair of shuttles or a pair of fighters. Supplies, ammunition, and spare parts are not as tight as on frigates, and their endurance is rated at 200 to 250 days without supply.

_Addendum_: The SR2 Normandy has the size and displacement of a heavy frigate, but mounts the sort of Thanix firepower of a heavy cruiser and armor that can bounce 25mm mass accelerator shells. It cannot be classed as anything but a pocket cruiser. The Alliance spent quite a bit of money trying to economize the ship design, but came to the conclusion that the results could only be reproduced at the cost which could more easily buy 3 or 4 cruisers.

* * *

**Light and Line Cruisers: **despite the difference in weight and size, cruisers are used for the same ubiquitous tasks as throughout history – forming the battle line, patrol , and direct assault. Too large to operate in atmosphere without severe aerodynamic issues, cruisers most often form the core of heavier fleet units such as flotillas and squadrons.

Cruisers heavier weapons , more durable armor, and more powerful and redundant frames, allow them to deliver and take much heavier blows than the lighter capital ships. As such, cruisers of this weight form the core of most fleet actions. Their tactics rarely vary – a spread of missiles, followed by ranging shots. Torpedoes as the range shortens, and additional missile spreads. A last flurry of cannon shots, then full broadside bombardment before closing to knife-fighting range with large GARDIAN laser batteries to chew through enemy armor.

Cruiser captains are chosen for their ability to manage multiple hostile targets while retaining caution enough to avoid engaging in knife-fighting until necessary. They are far more reserved and cautious than frigate or destroyer captains, and as a result tend to focus more on mitigating damage than engaging in the fight fully.

Cruisers boast full facilities for a larger crew. Piloted by a nav team, the crew of line and light cruisers is usually around 250, not including a company of marines. Cruisers are large enough to have onboard minifacturing capability, large store rooms, and VI-assisted algae air filtration systems. As such, their endurance is rated at 18 months without supply.

Cruisers operate very sluggishly in atmosphere, but are still capable of landing. They field at least 2 armored vehicles and usually 2 to 3 fighters.

* * *

**Battle Cruiser, Heavy Cruiser, and Carrier Cruiser: **Larger still than standard cruiser hulls, these three cruise classes are intended solely for deep space combat. They can enter atmosphere, however, for ground bombardment purposes, but are sluggish in doing so. Boasting both heavy internal and external armor, as well as segregated weapons, life support and combat support systems, heavy cruisers are difficult to knock out with a single strike, except by direct hit from a dreadnaught main gun.

These ships often form the core of medium sized units and are the primary striking power of any fleet. They have a full array of weapons, including a variety of mass accelerator or Thanix cannon sizes, broadside banks of GARDIAN lasers, and wide selections of missiles, torpedoes, and fighters. Despite this, almost all cruisers of this weight utilize very standardized tactics. On offense, these cruisers form a single line, presenting an unbroken front of direct, heavy missile and cannon fire. When the range closes, they present a broadside and being opening up with fire of opportunity. Defensively, they use staggered positions to cover each other in their broadside arcs, and tend to use their shots to attempt to disable and slow enemy ships rather than kill.

Heavy cruiser captains are usually chosen from successful cruiser captains, or are trained in the academy after service on dreadnaughts. The hallmarks of the cruiser captain are more pronounced here - caution, long range engagement, use of supporting assets, and reluctance to close range until needed. The heavier armor and greater durability of these ships is offset by their threat . As such, heavy cruiser captains also take damage control courses and attempt to retain the services of experienced damage control officers when they can.

The Battle Cruisers extremely heavy armament does allow it further flexibility, in that it can place firepower downrange that can destroy other cruisers in two or three shots. It's greater threat, however, means it rarely gets the chance to do so, often having to maneuver to avoid counter-fire.

Carrier-Cruisers, more fragile than other carriers due to the large flight deck and amounts of fuel and explosive ammunition on board, have stronger shields and much stronger damage control systems. This does limit weapons load, and lower top speed.

Cruisers of this size have onboard minifacturing capability and stocks of omnigel to produce most needed items (including soap, medicines, basic hygienic supplies, etc) , limited ability to grow algae and flash-clone soybean paste, and carry tanks of water for supply and heat dissipation. The larger crew, usually around 500 or so (800 for carrier cruisers) is planned for with larger supply storage areas. This means cruisers effectively have nearly unlimited endurance, although fresh foods and other consumables will need periodic replenishment. In practice, the cruiser will start encountering supply issues in the 3 to 5 year range.

Cruisers maintain a single company of marines for onboard security, but no armored vehicles, as cruisers of this size cannot land on a planet. They carry 4 to 6 fighters, with the obvious exception of carrier cruisers, which carry a squadron of 20.

* * *

**Carriers and Dreadnaughts: **classed in the same range due to their size and sluggish nature, these behemoths have to be assembled in space and cannot land on any planet. They typically do not even think about entering an atmosphere, although it is theoretically possible, albeit with almost no real maneuverability.

The armor of dreadnaughts is honeycombed with damage channels and repair bots, in thick segmented bands supported by mass effect containment fields and internal kinetic barriers. Even the heaviest Reaper fire required multiple long blasts of their main weapons to destroy them, and in many cases crew were able to survive the destruction of the ship in survival pods built into the hull.

The armor of a dreadnaught , and it's staggering weapons load, mean that it's tactical options are both devastating and blunt. Dreadnaughts act as the firepower, focusing their shots on points of enemy resistance, leveraging broadsides in close quarters battle that can tear down a cruiser's shields and riddle it's hull with holes in seconds. Capable of pumping out dozens of torpedoes and literally hundreds of missiles in multiple salvos, dreadnaughts also field a squadron of heavy bombers to add to their ridiculous firepower.

Dreadnaught commanding officers are tapped from the very best humanity has to offer, having to pass grueling mental examinations, psych workups, and a six month DCO orientation. They are confident of the power of their ships, neither overly cautious nor reckless. They range the gamut from aggressive to defensive, but all share two aspects - the ability to command multiple units as augments to their ships firepower, and the ability to measure the flow of a battle and judge the correct moment to withdraw. A dreadnaught is a huge investment for the SA and is never, ever risked unless no other options can be found.

Carriers field eighty fighters, while the rare Dreadnaught Carriers dock over 300 fighters. Minifacturing facilities allow modification and alteration of almost every aspect of fighters as well as (with appropriate resources) limited production of roughly 2 fighters every 3 weeks.

Of sufficient size to double as troop transports, dreadnaughts carry between 10 and 12 M-34 Blacktail SSTO ground assault transports. Capable of dropping from orbit to the ground and carrying 25 marines, the Blacktail allows orbital invasions.

The marine contingent is a regiment (800 marines). Some of these are pilots , others ground troops, still others tank drivers or on-ship security. Carriers have smaller marine units but more crew given over to fighters.

Dreadnaughts have a crew of roughly 1,500 to 3,000, mostly manning the many guns and maintaining the ship's engineering and ops spaces. The ships boast a complete bar, onboard haptic entertainment facilities, hydroponic gardens for fresh fruit and vegetables, and a stock of fish in onboard H2O storage tanks, oxygenated with waste gasses from the H2/HE3 fuel systems. Barbers, a full size gym, and the ability to turn the hangar bay into a slightly small baseball field give the crew a wide set of amenities.

Endurance is not even remotely a factor of these large ships, and often times dreadnaughts provide resupply to smaller ships in their fleet.

* * *

**SYSTEMS ALLIANCE NAVAL STRAGETIC MISSIONS:**

The SA classifies naval activities into different operations called dispatches (for small unit actions) or Operations (for large unit actions).

Activity names are two words, drawn from a list of operational directives. The first name of the activity is based on the operational tempo the fleet takes, and the second name is one of the four offensive or defensive postures the fleet takes.

For example, Dispatch Brilliant Sword is an offensive infowar campaign. Dispatch Iron Shield is a hold-the-line defensive action. The pre-designed names mean that , even in the event of complete leadership failure, even junior officers can refer to standardized operational guidelines and continue the activity as planned. Disrupting communications between ships or even destruction of the command vessel will cause some slight confusion, but the SA's focus on ensuring that even frigate commanders are aware of the highest levels of what an activity is designed to do means mass naval routs occur only due to heavy losses, not command disruptions.

**OPERATIONAL TEMPOS AND FOCI:**

Brilliant: Infowar campaign. Focused on denial of communications to an enemy, jamming, and cyber-warfare.

Cold: Boarding and capture actions.

Ocean: deep space fleet to fleet combat

Prudent: Intelligence related , usually the insertion or retrieval of intelligence assets. The priority is the intel, not necessarily the operators who gathered it.

Midnight: N7 or Special Operations

Radiant: long range dreadnaught bombardment

Iron: no retreat authorized. Can be any posture but units are to fight to the last ship and last man.

Sunset: planetary invasion or insertion

Fervent: fixed position assault , usually on a hardened ground target, or fortified space station. Different from boarding and capture in that the goal is destruction.

Gentle: PR or ceremonial patrol

Winter: covert operations (usually in enemy territory)

Cryptic: a general designation when the actual goal of the plan is classified so highly that distribution of the goal is restricted. Cryptic ops are usually very heavy special forces insertions into hostile territory, and the standing orders are , if command is killed, to withdraw at top speed.

Vengeful: rescue operations

Nightfall: fleet combat operations far from a star but still in system

Blazing: littoral combat operations close to the inner system of a star, where heat is an issue.

Broken: reaction to high level threats – WMD's near a colony, biological weapons,etc. The target is to be taken out at any costs, including kamikaze actions or mass core breaches.

* * *

**FLEET POSTURES:**

_SWORD:_ Sword is an aggressive posture, taken for offensive assault operations where resistance is expected to be heavy. In Sword, frigates and destroyers act as flankers and scouts, while cruisers form a battle line, firing missiles and cannon. Dreadnaughts, if present, engage at longest range with main guns, and fighters go for the heaviest strikes possible. Carriers launch all fighters and withdraw to safe distance.

_SHIELD:_ Shield is a defense posture, used mostly in defensive battles. In Shield, frigates act as pressure units, denying penetration of the line of battle, while destroyers hunt and kill enemy frigates and fighters. Cruisers stagger their line of battle to cover one another with broadside weapons. Dreadnaughts and carriers hold position at the center of the fleet, focusing fighter attacks and heavy fire on anything breaching the line of battle.

_ARROW: _ Arrow is a deep-strike evolution – get in, hit the target, and get out. Frigates act as scouts, taking out any early warning systems, and a mixed force of destroyers and cruisers proceeds to the target with fighter escort. Dreadnaughts and carriers, if present, hang back, carriers to remain safe, dreadnaughts to close in if support is required.

_FIST: _Fist is the counter-attack posture, used to shift from a full defensive deployment to limited assault. Frigates and destroyers form the line of battle, spraying missiles and causing as much disruption to the enemy line of battle as possible. Dreadnaughts focus fire on disruptions in the enemy line of battle, and cruiser rush any breaches, pouring through to flank the rest of the enemy forces. Fighters focus on taking out enemy fighters and harassing cruisers to keep them off the lighter frigates and destroyers.

_SPEAR:_ This is the punch-through posture , used to shift from a full offensive deployment to limited defense, disrupting the enemy line of battle to buy time for the bulk of the fleet to withdraw. Frigates and destroyers are the primary actors, throwing themselves into combat and firing off as many weapons as possible. A section of cruisers and fighters will augment this assault, while the rest of the fleet withdraws, the dreadnaughts covering the retreat with ranging shots.

**COMMON EVOLUTIONS:**

Fervent Arrow: small unit insertion of troops to take out fixed ground installations such as Surface to Space missiles or GARDIAN towers.

Ocean Shield: deep space defense, usually against raiders.

Blazing Spear: cut and run escape from close-orbit combat


End file.
